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THURSDAY | FEB 6, 2025

Malaysian Paper

How low can you go? Carragher believes United have regressed under Amorim R UBEN AMORIM’S task to heave Manchester United out of the mess left behind by Erik ten Hag in November was widely acknowledged as a After Amorim’s 1st match against Ipswich on Nov 25,2024

And Carragher focused on the Red Devils’ dire home form to emphasise his belief that Ten Hag’s team was better than Amorim’s. He added: “It’s far too easy for teams to go to Old Trafford and win, and it’s actually got worse in the last two or three months than anything I think we ever saw under Erik ten Hag.” United suffered the lowest Premier League finish in the club’s storied history by slumping to eighth last season, only qualifying for Europe through an unlikely FA Cup triumph. Amorim is on course to smash that unwanted record unless the final few months of the campaign showcase a stunning turnaround. And the task does not look good after the club failed to recruit a centre-forward in the January transfer window, despite their current lack of a prolific goalscorer. United have failed to find the back of the net in nine Premier League matches this season, including Sunday’s defeat to Crystal Palace. The £108.5 million (RM597m) spent on strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in the past two years has limited United’s ability to bolster their attack. Hojlund has yet to score in 13 games, while Zirkzee has only managed one goal in 16 appearances. The club’s management had no plans to bring in a temporary signing that could be seen as a panic buy. Instead, they’ve focused on younger talent, signings Ayden Heaven, 18, and Patrick Dorgu, 20, more in line with the £58 million (RM319m) deal for Leny Yoro last year. Former captain Rio Ferdinand believes there is a free agent signing United should look at following Tuesday’s transfer deadline closure. And it’s one that would send shockwaves through the fanbase, with Ferdinand urging Amorim to “have a look at” Paul Pogba by inviting him to train at Carrington. He explained on his YouTube channel, Rio Ferdinand Presents : “I’d say to Pogba, ‘Come in and train with us, let me see what you’ve got.’ I’d do that. I would have done that already. Come in and get fit, but I’d also have a look (at him).” – Express Newspapers

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daunting one. However, not many could’ve predicted just how low the situation has stooped since Amorim took charge as records continue to break for all the wrong reasons. Inconsistency was to be expected during the former Sporting boss’ attempts to instil his 3-4 3 philosophy into an already underperforming squad. But United are rotting in 13th in the Premier League after picking up just 29 points from 24 matches with a -6 goal difference, losing 11 times. In all competitions, Amorim has won just nine of his 19 games at the helm, drawing two and tasting defeat in eight while scoring and conceding 34 times. There has been little sign of early progress, and Jamie Carragher actually believes United have regressed under the Portuguese tactician. The ex-Liverpool defender was among those with raised eyebrows after Amorim decided to start Kobbie Mainoo as his striker in Sunday’s 2 0 defeat to Crystal Palace. “I felt the bar had been so low under Erik ten Hag that I didn’t think it was too difficult to raise it without really competing with the top teams in the country,” Carragher told Sky Sports . “But it’s actually got lower under the new manager, which is not a great thing to say.” “I know he’s playing a new system, but I don’t think it was too difficult to make Manchester United better than what we’ve seen over the last 18 months, but it just hasn’t happened at all. “Some of the decisions, when you see the teams he’s picked, like (Kobbie) Mainoo as a striker or a false No. 9 (on Sunday), that’s not right.” The loss against Palace was United’s seventh in 13 matches at Old Trafford this season – a shambolic record at the core of the club’s recent woes.

12 Man United

After losing to Crystal Palace on Feb 2,2025

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13 Man United

Alcaraz digs deep in Rotterdam igs m

Disappointed Arteta

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