Staff Takeaways: Manchester United 0-1 Everton

Trambak – ….And there goes our ‘mini revival’

Where is our vision as a club for this season? Ruben Amorim should address this question first, as Manchester United looked absolutely pathetic in the 1-0 defeat to The Toffees. We lost the game in the first half when Amorim decided to play conservatively with the ball and did not order an onslaught against 10-man Everton. The loss puts United in 10th place, just above Liverpool on goal difference, and the team could have moved up to fourth in the standings if they grabbed the three points. In hopes of achieving the same, Amorim came up with a peculiar starting eleven, featuring a subpar Joshua Zirkzee, and a disjointed relationship between the fullbacks and forwards. And the inevitable happened.

I remember some time back, Amorim was optimistic since United are not playing in European competition this season. We should have been charging for the top-four, yet we are again on that same old loop of salvaging a top-half finish. With Crystal Palace up next, it is going to be a monumental job for the Red Devils since Oliver Glasner’s men know how to sync with each other well and get their stride in the right direction.

Suwaid – Overthinking and Flexibility

I’m advocating for two things that might seem at odds with one another. United have been poor in the last two games, and I believe a lot of that has to do with the starting XIs. United’s right flank with Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo has been one of the positives of this season. They didn’t start the season with much chemistry, but seemed to have formed something last month. Ruben Amorim should just stick with this instead of overthinking it.

There will be times when Amad gets done, as we saw in the Forest game, but this is something United are going to have to live with because the other wingbacks offer nothing in the attacking third. It’s not like this United side are more likely to keep a clean sheet by playing a wingback who is primarily a defender.

Ruben Amorim’s also got to play the situation and adapt accordingly. It’s not a case of the formation, as he has often pushed Harry Maguire forward when he’s looking for a goal. It’s decisions like replacing Patrick Dorgu with Diogo Dalot and not subbing in Mason Mount in the first half when Everton went down a man that will leave even his most ardent supporters baffled.

This is a side that still needs a lot of things to go its way to get three points, and the manager has to realise that there’s no guarantee that a good performance will get him a result. There aren’t many combinations of this squad capable of putting in a good performance, so it’s best to stick with the few combinations that work and quickly find a way around those that don’t.

Colin – The wing-backs behind Amad aren’t cutting it

Manchester United’s reliance on Amad has continued into the 2025/26 campaign with the winger shining once again at the right wing-back role alongside Bryan Mbeumo, but Ruben Amorim has still taken the opportunity to explore his options at the position.

The results have not been good.

Diogo Dalot offers a decent floor and a low ceiling, Noussair Mazraoui seems more suited for the right centre back role than operating in either wide position, and Patrick Dorgu has continued to struggle regardless of which wing he is on.

Amad’s best play is clearly up front, but his defensive play has improved as well. He made eight defensive contributions against Everton and helped steady play by moving to the RWB role after halftime, but it’s a worrying sight whenever he isn’t there.

And he won’t be there in December and January.

For a position so valuable to United’s shape and buildup patterns, the club may need to dip back into the transfer window again sooner rather than later.