How long can Manchester United’s slump last? Premier League hits and misses | soccer news

How long can Manchester United’s slump last?

“It’s really hard to sell an idea if the results aren’t good,” says Ruben Amorim. sky sports Before Manchester United lost 2-0 to Newcastle. “I was hired because of that idea, and if you change your mind in these difficult moments, that’s the end of every coach.” But holding on to that idea also brings problems.

Manchester United was a mess from the start against Newcastle. Some of that is down to players losing confidence. The sad sight of Joshua Zirczy being booed off the pitch before the break was emblematic of a group of players who appeared unhappy with their work.

But the system is supposed to make their jobs easier, not easier, and whatever your views on the quality of the team Amorim inherited, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue that this isn’t at least part of the problem. Too many of them seem uncomfortable in their roles.

Diogo Dalot was positioned high up the pitch throughout the game, so it would have been more natural to play the left winger rather than the former right-back. When he got the ball he was forced to shovel it inside rather than provide true width.

Noussair Mazraoui is a little better in other respects and Matthijs de Ligt doesn’t want to be dragged into wide areas like Alexander Isak. Lisandro Martinez is one of the few who looks good in this form and he endured a miserable evening in red.

Amorim would have preferred to have done this last summer or next summer rather than being swamped with a crowded fixture list and asked to fix the problem on the spot. However, there may have been hope that he could struggle and grow for next season.

That’s still the hope, but it’s imperative that United either start rebuilding or risk a rebuild on the back foot, which is under suspicion even before his first full season in charge. By his own admission, there are ideas he wants to sell to players, the public and his bosses.

Amorim doesn’t need trophies. A season in Europe might make things simpler. There are no expectations for United’s attack. Just function. However, losing three games in a row without scoring in the Premier League is unacceptable even in this downturn.
Adam Bate

Chelsea is getting fit and truly Delaped!

It takes something special to get a 10/10. sky sports Player rating.

Well, Liam Delap is something special.

There were concerns that pre-match road closures could delay kick-off as the military investigates possible unexploded ordnance near the ground. The device turned out to be safe, but Delap almost caught fire.

Delap’s shenanigans display lit up Portman Road like fireworks on New Year’s Eve. He was simply unplayable.

The one-man wrecking ball broke through the Chelsea defense to win his own penalty, which Omari Hutchinson deservedly dispatched before Chelsea fans were further irritated by the result. He is one of them that was let go in the summer.

Delap’s ability to rush the ball up the pitch was invaluable as Ipswich stepped up to defend the box under tremendous pressure from Chelsea. Kieran McKenna sent him off in extra time, giving his performance a deserved standing ovation. A legend was truly born. And Ipswich now have real hope of survival with a player of this potential.
louis jones

Chelsea B team member eliminated from A team audition

A busy festive schedule saw Enzo Maresca make five changes to the side that lost at Fulham on Boxing Day.

Filip Jorgensen, Axel Disasi, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku were among the players brought in by Maresca as they looked to avoid a second successive defeat.

Jorgensen found himself on the wrong end of the drama 10 minutes into the game when Liam Delap was adjudged to have clipped in the penalty area.

Although they showed a strong performance afterwards, Chelsea were trailing the game after the penalty kick. Disasi gifted Ipswich their second goal five days after Christmas when he fed a loose back pass into the path of Delap who teed up Omari Hutchinson.

Joao Felix, who had a goal disallowed for offside, was unable to find the equalizer as Ipswich’s second goal came seconds later. Christopher Nkunku struggled to replicate his form in the cup, missing a big opportunity to equalize in front of an anonymous display and losing six duels.

There was a lot of talk about Maresca’s big squad before the season started, but it was already clear who Maresca could rely on at the halfway point. Defeat at Ipswich would not have been enough to change his mind.
William Vitibiri

Villas are lacking, but Watkins stakes claim a start

Despite a late equalizer, Watkins insisted on being the starting striker against Brighton.

The England international enjoyed success in his return to Villa’s starting line-up for the first time in three Premier League games following John Duran’s suspension.

He scored more goals against Brighton than any other team going into this match and his first-half penalty took that tally to seven.

The player who won last season’s Playmaker of the Season award put those credentials on full display immediately after the restart, courtesy of Rodgers.

Watkins, who celebrated his 29th birthday today, was given the perfect gift to earn a starting spot in the lineup again with this performance, but will be slightly marred by a late chance he failed to convert.

Villa have two top-class strikers competing for that role and seem to get the best out of both when they are on the field.
fat row

Seagull stagnation in Hurzeler’s European bid

Brighton’s promising start under Fabian Hurzeler has faded and their European qualification hopes will depend on turning a draw into a win.

Their points at Aston Villa mean they have failed to win their last seven league games for the first time since April 2022 under Graham Potter.

Fulham are the only team to have dropped more points (19) than Brighton in the title standings this season. Herzeler’s team is full of exciting young players, but their style, especially at home, has been cautious. Five draws at the Amex (nine in total) is not enough for a team of such talent.

What’s more worrying is that Brighton’s winless streak hasn’t happened against any of the top teams. They failed to beat Aston Villa, Brentford, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Leicester, Fulham and Southampton.

After spending almost £200m in the summer, there is growing pressure on Hurzeler to improve in the second half of the season. After receiving his fourth yellow card, he should stop worrying about the referees’ performance and focus on living up to expectations.
David Richardson