The new season has begun, but Manchester United’s problems between the posts remain painfully familiar. Despite the fresh kits, new signings, and a sense of optimism among supporters at Old Trafford, the same defensive fragility resurfaced in their clash against Arsenal.
The decisive moment came after just 13 minutes when United’s vulnerability to inswinging corners was ruthlessly exposed. Declan Rice delivered a dangerous ball from the left, Altay Bayindir misjudged his attempt to punch clear, and Riccardo Calafiori bundled the ball over the line. It was a sequence that echoed previous failings, most notably last season when André Onana and Bayindir both struggled under similar circumstances.
United may point to grappling inside the box Mason Mount was impeded by William Saliba as the corner came in but the reality is simple: better goalkeeping would have prevented the goal. The contrast was highlighted in the second half when David Raya confidently cleared a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, showing the assertiveness United’s keepers have lacked.
The wider concern is that such errors undo expensive investments in attack. Spending heavily on forwards is futile if soft goals are conceded at the other end. United created chances Patrick Dorgu hit the post, Raya made seven saves, and Amad Diallo impressed off the bench but without defensive security, their efforts faltered.
The pressure now grows on manager Ruben Amorim. His current win percentage of just 37.2% is the lowest at the club in half a century. Should United fail to beat Fulham next week, his record would sink below those of Frank O’Farrell and Wilf McGuinness, leaving him with the poorest return since Herbert Bamlett in the early 1930s.
Context offers some mitigation: new signings need time, individual errors can be costly, and fine margins defined the contest. Yet history casts a long shadow. United’s struggles last season cannot be ignored, and poor results now carry the weight of past failures. If they falter again at Craven Cottage, the following fixture against newly-promoted Burnley will feel less like an opportunity and more like a must-win survival test.
For United, this season is no clean slate. Old problems linger, especially in goal, and until they are resolved, hopes of progress will remain haunted by the echoes of last year’s shortcomings.
