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<p>Issues at Old Trafford</p>
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<img alt="15 goals conceded in 10 games - Man Utd's neglected defence is holding Amorim's team back"
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title="15 goals conceded in 10 games - Man Utd's neglected defence is holding Amorim's team back">
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<p><span>©IMAGO</span></p>
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<p dir="ltr">Manchester United fans witnessed an exciting display of attacking football on Monday, as Rúben Amorim’s squad netted four goals against Bournemouth. While that performance would typically bring joy to the Old Trafford crowd, it was overshadowed by the fact that the visitors matched them with four goals, resulting in the Red Devils' second draw in three Premier League matches. This season has seen United excel in scoring, yet they continue to struggle defensively, allowing too many goals at the other end.</p>
<p>Undoubtedly, Amorim’s team possesses significant attacking prowess. In the Premier League, only Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City has scored more goals than United, who are currently level with league leaders Arsenal, having netted 30 goals across 16 games. However, the persistent issue for the Red Devils lies in their defensive record, which sees them having conceded 26 goals this season—only five clubs in the Premier League have conceded more. Additionally, United hasn’t kept a clean sheet in the league since October 4, indicating that their defense is a major obstacle for Amorim’s team.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Amorim may attribute the weaknesses in defense during the match to the absence of key players like Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Noussair Mazraoui due to injuries or international commitments. Yet, a closer examination reveals that United's defensive lineup lacks the quality needed to compete with the wealthiest clubs in the Premier League.</p>
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<img alt="PL defence market values" height="629"
src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/pl-defence-market-values-1765881020-185344.png?lm=1765881030"
title="PL defence market values" width="503">
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<p dir="ltr">The table above demonstrates that the average market value of a Manchester United defender is a mere €21 million, the lowest among the so-called “Big Six.” In contrast, Manchester City’s average is nearly double that at €39 million, while league leaders Arsenal boast an impressive average of €55 million. Overall, United’s defensive unit has a combined market value of €252 million, the second-lowest among the “Big Six,” highlighting a squad that features many defenders but lacks true quality.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This situation illustrates United’s inclination toward quantity over quality in defense. When sorting defenders in the Premier League by market value, only one United player—Leny Yoro—makes it into the top 25 with a market value of €55 million. Meanwhile, Arsenal claims five top-tier defenders, Man City has four, and both Tottenham and Liverpool contribute with four and two, respectively. It’s clear that Amorim doesn’t have the same caliber of defensive talent available to him as managers like Mikel Arteta or Guardiola enjoy weekly. This discrepancy is also evident in the analysis of United’s transfer strategies over the past five years.</p>
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<img alt="Man Utd spending in five years" height="629"
src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/newsansicht/man-utd-spending-in-five-years-1765881063-185345.png?lm=1765881090"
title="Man Utd spending in five years" width="503">
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<p dir="ltr">Examining Manchester United’s transfer spending over the last five seasons reveals they've invested €270 million in new defenders. This figure is noteworthy, as only Chelsea (€399.4 million) and Manchester City (€306.8 million) have spent more on defensive acquisitions during the same timeframe. However, a comparison with their spending in other areas reveals that they have allocated over twice that amount on attacking players.
In total, just 25% of United’s transfer budget over the last five seasons has been directed towards defenders—a relatively low figure, considering Amorim frequently fields four or five defenders in his starting lineup. This might explain the club's low average market value for defenders in comparison to other “Big Six” teams: insufficient investment in fortifying the defense has left the Portuguese coach with a selection of mediocre or underperforming defenders week after week, a vulnerability Bournemouth exploited in Monday night’s match.</p>
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