Two times Man Utd barely survived and the problem that left coach Amorim helpless

In two consecutive matches in the Premier League 2025/26, the "Red Devils" struggled to get a draw following the same scenario. They were the team leading the score, having a good position in the first half. In the second half, MU received some blows in the face, allowing the opponent to take the lead with quick goals. Then, Amad Diallo and De Ligt scored in turn to rescue the home team at Old Trafford.

Including the match when MU won 4-3 against Brighton, Ruben Amorim's team performed "roller coaster" football that made their fans go from ecstasy to disappointment. MU played well in the early stages of the match, but as the match progressed, more and more problems appeared. And Casemiro is the embodiment of MU's problem, when the Brazilian midfielder no longer has enough stamina to play 90 minutes.

Ugarte black spot

Against Tottenham, coach Amorim withdrew Casemiro from the field in the 72nd minute. Casemiro had a good performance, with 44 touches, 83% accurate passing and 4 tackles to save MU. However, the Brazilian player tried his best to the last drop of physical strength to meet the high intensity match against Tottenham and left the field to make way for Ugarte.

Coach Amorim had to put his trust in Ugarte - the only reserve defensive midfielder he had. Previously, the MU captain failed when he sent Kobbie Mainoo onto the field in the match against Brighton, experimenting with placing the England international alongside Bruno Fernandes. Amorim's helplessness was shown in the match against Nottingham, when he did not dare to send either Mainoo or Ugarte onto the field, leaving Casemiro to play the full 90 minutes.

Ugarte returned to the MU squad with absolute physical strength. However, the Uruguayan midfielder still made MU fans disappointed with his disappointing performance in all aspects in 20 minutes on the field. He directly made a mistake in the situation where MU was tied 1-1 when he could not keep up with Odebert.

With just a hip shake from Odebert, Ugarte was overtaken. The MU midfielder was slow in speed, maneuverability and lacked the determination to block the opponent with a more adventurous solution.

Then, it was Ugarte who was at fault for Richarlison's header to make it 2-1 for Tottenham. Express commented that Ugarte was the player at the bottom of the MU team and closest to Richarlison. Ugarte's leisurely run up instead of putting pressure on Richarlison was a disaster.

"Entered the field to help MU protect the lead but in most situations did not complete the task", Yahoo Sport rated and gave Ugarte a score of 4. Meanwhile, Mirror gave Ugarte 2 points.

Ugarte made mistakes in marking and was easily passed by opponents in situations of hitting the face in the middle, this happens frequently in the MU midfield. What is more disappointing for Ugarte is that the presence of this midfielder does not help the MU midfield have many outstanding matches and take the initiative in control.

Former midfielder Owen Hargreaves stressed that MU lost the initiative against Tottenham since Casemiro and Maguire left the field. Before Sesko was injured, MU still had 11 players. The duo Ugarte and Bruno faced the Palhinha - Pape Sarr pair, but could not control the game as well as when Casemiro was on the field.

Casemiro is currently the biggest support in MU's midfield.

How long will MU depend on Casemiro?

After the 2025 summer transfer window, MU under Amorim has shown signs of improvement. The "Red Devils" are solving the problem of goalkeepers and wingers thanks to effective transfer deals. However, the problem in MU's midfield is still a headache, directly causing the "Red Devils" to lose many important points.

Amorim has seen the weak point of the MU squad. The failed recruitment of Carlos Baleba has disrupted Amorim's plans. As a result, the burden in the MU midfield is placed on the shoulders of a Casemiro who is seriously out of shape, while Bruno also has many problems because he plays in an area that is not his forte.

Between a Ugarte in poor form and a Mainoo who has been disappointing on a regular basis, Casemiro’s influence has been highlighted. However, the reality is that Casemiro’s performances since the start of the season have not been as bright as the model of a classy defensive midfielder in the Amorim squad.

Amorim needs stability in Casemiro’s key position, but the Brazilian midfielder’s physical condition no longer allows it. Even if MU only plays one game a week, Casemiro still doesn’t have enough stamina to play the full 90 minutes.

Amorim cannot sit still when the last 30 minutes of every match is a gamble to take Casemiro off the field. Trust Mainoo's youth in the off-field role? Trust Ugarte to play at least a decent role? Or take a risk with new factors like Jack Fletcher? All are gambles for each precious point of MU in the Premier League.

MU fans are fed up with the tragic situation in their midfield. Baleba and Adam Wharton have been called by MU fans in the urgent transfers that happened in the winter market to patch up the midfield. However, the possibility of MU making a "blockbuster" in the middle of this season is not high when looking at the financial situation of the club and the difficulties in convincing opponents to release players.

Amorim's headache in midfield will continue until the summer transfer window opens in 2026. Right now, the most practical thing Amorim needs is a healthy Casemiro, guaranteed to play every match to ensure that MU can play well for at least 60 minutes like the past month.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/hai-lan-man-utd-chet-hut-va-bai-toan-khien-hlv-amorim-bat-luc-post1794606.tpo