While it’s a little early to make sweeping declarations, we look at Manchester United‘s start to the 2024-25 Premier League season and try to pick out some positives ahead of Sunday’s visit of bitter rivals Liverpool.
It’s not always helpful to attach great importance to a single league match, especially one so early in the season. But it’s difficult to escape the feeling that a win accompanied by an encouraging performance for Manchester United against Liverpool on Sunday could give Erik ten Hag’s men a big boost.
The 2024-25 Premier League season has almost been branded the start of another new era for United. The pre-season was their first summer and transfer window with the new hierarchy in place, and they decided – or should that be ‘settled on’ after apparently being turned down by Thomas Tuchel? – to keep Ten Hag as manager. Even if only for appearances’ sake, there have been hints of a fresh start.
Two matches into the new Premier League season and United have three points; it’s hardly emphatic, granted, but all the noise from the club has preached for patience. And it isn’t all doom and gloom either, so what positives or signs of progress can fans hold on to heading into Sunday’s visit of their bitter rivals?
Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui
United went into the season in a pretty dire situation in the full-back positions. The club were hoping to offload Aaron Wan-Bissaka to allow Noussair Mazraoui’s arrival; Luke Shaw was injured again; Tyrell Malacia wasn’t expected back until at least October; Lisandro Martínez looked uncomfortable at left-back in the Community Shield, a match they ended with Facundo Pellistri playing right-back.
As much as United supporters grew accustomed to issues at full-back during last season’s injury crisis, it’s fair to say those positions will have been causing the most anxiety for many.
But with Diogo Dalot at left-back and Mazraoui on the right, United have looked pretty solid out wide in their first two games.
That’s not to say they’ve avoided criticism. Against Brighton, Dalot probably should’ve got closer to João Pedro’s initial cross in the build-up to Danny Welbeck’s opener and similar could be said of Mazraoui for the second and decisive delivery. But then you could also question why Harry Maguire didn’t clear the danger between those incidents, and the even bigger failing of why Welbeck was left completely unmarked.
Dalot was also accused by some of being out of position for Brighton’s winner as he was on the right side of the area despite playing left-back. That criticism was harsh, however, as he’d clearly been marking the back post and simply moved out in an attempt to close danger near him. The dreadful, amateurish marking on the other side of the box was a collective failing and certainly can’t be attributed to Dalot.
In fact, it’s probably accurate to say Dalot was one of their best players. His exquisite left-footed cross in the first half should have led to Amad Diallo giving them the lead, while he denied James Milner a certain goal with a clearance in the nick of time early in the second period.
His 12 possession recoveries was the most of anyone on the pitch and double that of any other United player, while he was one of just two in the visitors’ team to win more than half (6/10) of his ground duels (min. five contested), dealing well with the tricky Yankuba Minteh, who ultimately only managed to complete one of his six dribble attempts.
Mazraoui seems to have largely settled well, too. The Morocco international earned rave reviews following a really solid debut against Fulham, hardly putting a foot wrong. He was calm and reliable on the ball, his 92.1% pass accuracy the best of any United player to attempt more than four passes, and he competed well, completing both of his tackle attempts and winning four of six ground duels.
He then helped limit Kaoru Mitoma’s influence – the Welbeck goal aside, which we’ve already discussed – against Brighton and created two chances, including the incisive pass that released Amad for the equaliser.
He’ll continue to be tested, and Dalot will want to improve certain aspects as well, but both can be content with their starts to the season.
Kobbie Maestro
One of the few positives of a disappointing 2023-24, Kobbie Mainoo will be a key player this term. He ended last season by running the show in the FA Cup final against Manchester City and then forcing his way into the England starting XI at Euro 2024.
It’s easy to forget, given everything he’s already achieved, but this will be the 19-year-old’s first full season in the United senior team. His introduction at this level was cruelly delayed by a few months in pre-season last year, but he’s begun 2024-25 as one of the first names on the team sheet.
And he’s justified that standing as well.
He continues to offer touches of class in midfield, perfectly happy to receive the ball under pressure and glide away from would-be tacklers. There’s much more to come from him, but what a talent he already is.
Only six players have attempted more than his 10 dribbles, although only West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus (9/15) has completed more than Mainoo’s eight.
In fact, Mainoo has contested five more ground duels than any other player in the Premier League over the first two matchdays (41). And while dribbles feed into his broader ground duels output, if you take them out of the equation, he’s still contested more duels than anyone else (31).
Mainoo is also showing signs of progress with respect to his defensive habits and positioning, tallying four more interceptions (10) than any other Premier League player, while only five midfielders have won possession back more times than his 12.
It’ll be fascinating to see how the arrival of destructive midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain impacts Mainoo. It feels safe to assume the Uruguayan is more likely to take minutes from Casemiro than the England international, and having someone with Ugarte’s physical attributes next to him might even free Mainoo up a little more.
There will always be things to work on, with his recovery pace potentially one weakness, but for the most part, it’s been a solid start to 2024-25 for Mainoo.
Young Guns on the Flanks
It feels necessary to once again point out that nothing’s been perfect for United’s wingers this season. After all, Marcus Rashford hasn’t managed a shot on target yet. However, there have been some positive signs for others.
Amad is still clearly learning the ropes at this level, and as such some of his decision-making has highlighted his inexperience. For instance, Rashford may well have managed to get a shot on target had Amad played the right pass on the break against Brighton. Instead of playing in behind the defence, he passed to Rashford’s feet and momentum quickly dissipated.
Nevertheless, Amad has undoubtedly brought a positivity and bravery to United in the final third. He wants the ball at his feet and isn’t afraid to commit a defender. One of the biggest frustrations United fans have had with Jadon Sancho and Antony during their careers at the club has been how they frequently slow the play or look reluctant to test their marker. That’s not a criticism that can be levelled at Amad.
Again, it’s not all been great. He was quiet against Fulham and probably lucky to keep his place in the team, but then Antony retained his role as a starter for far longer, so perhaps Amad is due similar patience. After all, he did then score at Brighton, and it was a goal that highlighted the drive he can offer, while he’d have capped his Community Shield outing with a sensational assist had his final pass to Mason Mount been pulled back by just a few more inches.
There are growing calls for him and Alejandro Garnacho to be United’s starting wingers. Of course, the two combined for Amad’s dramatic winner against Liverpool in the FA Cup last season, and the prospect of them doing some damage again is a real one.
Garnacho was lively off the bench in the Community Shield, scoring United’s goal, and then it was his cross that fellow substitute Joshua Zirkzee diverted in for the winner against Fulham. Had the Dutchman shown a little more awareness and not touched a goal-bound shot at Brighton, Garnacho would’ve had three goal involvements in three games – all as a sub.
Like Amad, Garnacho is also still learning, but both bring confidence, purpose and unpredictability to United in a way that – at the moment – the likes of Rashford and Antony don’t.
Are They a Little Less Open?
You couldn’t read any analysis on Manchester United last season without the words “shots faced” and “only Sheffield United” being written, and justifiably so. The fact they ended 2023-24 having faced more shots than everyone bar one of the Premier League’s worst-ever teams was a travesty.
United were so open. Their midfield was largely considered to be the cause, with Casemiro appearing to struggle physically in the centre, though their defensive injury crisis certainly didn’t help.
It was plain to see from day one last term. Their first game of the season, a fortuitous home win over Wolves, was alarming. Gary O’Neil’s men – having only had a matter of days working with their new manager at the time – ran through United time and time again, with Matheus Cunha practically given the freedom of Old Trafford. It would come to be a familiar sight throughout the season, just with other players taking on the Cunha role.
But the early signs in 2024-25 are at least a little encouraging.
Their opponents are averaging 12 shots per game as opposed to 17.6 last season, transitions reaching the final third are down from 16.3 to 15.5 on average, shots in transition are down to 3.5 per game from 5.4, and they’ve faced just one shot from a counter-attack having averaged 1.1 per match in 2024-25.
It goes without saying that it’s still very early days. We can’t read too much into a data sample of just two games because there are so many variables at play, such as opposition team styles and players.
Nevertheless, every team’s path to improvement has to start somewhere, and perhaps United have looked to address the openness that plagued them last season – Ugarte’s arrival would seem to suggest as much.
Make no mistake, though, while it is undoubtedly a good thing to find hints of positivity for United, there are some failings that have almost become trademarks of this team, such as the concessions of late goals.
Beating and impressing against Liverpool won’t suddenly mean United are fixed, but it might just give us an idea of their potential.
Enjoy this? Subscribe to our football newsletter to receive exclusive weekly content. You should also follow our social accounts over on X, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.