Manchester United suffered their first Premier League defeat in five matches this afternoon, after being on the wrong side of the 2-1 scoreline against Aston Villa.
Morgan Rogers’ double was enough to secure defeat for Unai Emery’s men, which leaves Ruben Amorim with the task of picking his side up ahead of the Christmas run-in.
The Red Devils currently sit seventh in the Premier League table, just three points off the top four – a position that is extremely respectable given the struggles of last season.
However, the manager will no doubt have a few issues to address over the festive period, especially if they are to mount a challenge for a Champions League place.
Numerous players could now be at risk of losing their starting role under Amorim, which could result in a much-changed starting eleven in next week’s outing.
United’s poor performers against Aston Villa
With Casemiro suspended for the trip to the West Midlands, Amorim decided to call upon Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte to fill the void at Villa Park.
The 24-year-old started for the first time since the end of September, but it was an afternoon to forget as he picked up a booking and was replaced in the 73rd minute.
He subsequently committed four fouls in the process and only won 40% of the tackles he entered – ultimately falling way below the standards many expected.
However, Ugarte wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with Luke Shaw once again unable to deliver despite his starting his 17th league game of the campaign.
He too struggled against the Villans, only managing to win 50% of the duels he entered, whilst also committing two fouls and being unable to live with the threat of the opposition.
Other stats, such as zero crosses completed and just two passes into the final third, also showcase the defender’s struggles when having the ball at his feet.
The United star who has fewer touches than Lammens
After being unbeaten in the Premier League in each of the last four matches, Amorim now has a huge task to pick the side up to return to winning ways next week.
The 40-year-old has shown glimpses of turning the situation at Old Trafford around in recent weeks, but his ability to make the right calls with the team selection is still up for debate.
As previously mentioned, his decision to start Ugarte was no doubt an unpopular one, with some of the big-money additions falling below expectations in the North West.
Some of the £200m additions have already provided value for money in the Premier League, with Matheus Cunha netting his second league goal during the defeat.
However, the same can’t be said for all of the additions, with Benjamin Sesko once again failing to take advantage of the chance handed his way this afternoon.
The Slovenian has struggled with injuries in recent weeks, but was handed a start against Villa after Bryan Mbeumo linked up with Cameroon ahead of AFCON.
The 22-year-old only featured for 73 minutes before being withdrawn by the manager, with his substitution warranted after his lack of impact on the pitch.
Benjamin Sesko – stats against Aston Villa
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
73
Touches
16
Passes completed
7
Aerials won
2
Big chances missed
1
Dribbles completed
0
Shots taken
1
Fouls committed
1
Stats via FotMob
He was only able to register a total of 16 touches throughout the defeat, a tally which was lower than goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who posted a total of 31.
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Sesko also registered just seven passes of the ball, an average of one every 10 minutes, whilst also winning just two aerials – subsequently being unable to provide the focal point the manager craves.
Other stats, such as one big chance missed and zero dribbles completed, showcase his struggles with the ball, which no doubt has ramped up the pressure on him to succeed.
To top off his showing, Sesko was handed a measly 4/10 match rating by The Express’ Tom Parsons – topping off what was a hugely disappointing showing for the big-money addition.
After such a move, there’s no denying he will need time to adapt to the demands of the Premier League, but ultimately, it’s been a failed transfer as of now.
Amorim needs to drop him from the starting eleven after such a performance, potentially handing Joshua Zirkzee the chance to stake his claim for a starting role.
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