Manchester United gave the home fans nothing to cheer for with a lethargic display at Old Trafford. Although the scoreline flatters United at 1-0, Arsenal thoroughly dominated their historic rivals and showed why there is such a vast gap in the table between the two of them.
Arsenal and Manchester United could not be headed in further directions right now. The Gunners are the “it” team in the Premier League and in the title race, while Man United are in a more precarious position than Chelsea.
Following this poor Premier League performance on a big stage, here are four individuals at Manchester United who proved why INEOS should not see any futures for them at Old Trafford in 2024.
DM Casemiro
Casemiro started at center back again amidst the injury crisis in defense, and the Brazilian icon looked anything but iconic, playing the most culpable role in the Arsenal goal.
Not only did Casemiro play the assist onside with some bafflingly poor decision-making that even a converted defensive midfielder should have avoided, but he also completely failed to account for a possible run into the six-yard box.
It was amateur hour at its finest from the four-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid, and it sums up the rapid decline Casemiro has experienced in 2023/24.
The 32-year-old is almost certainly headed to Saudi Arabia. His days as a top level player in the Premier League or any other top five European league are over.
CM Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay continues to be one of the most underwhelming players in the Premier League, and the excuses some Manchester United fans continue to make for him have gone beyond past the point of wearing thin.
Starting in the 10 role with Bruno Fernandes out, McTominay was the definition of a downgrade, fumbling over the ball when attempting to progress play and offering no sort of quality in the final third.
If Manchester United can find someone willing to take a flier on a midfielder who doesn’t have a real strength or set position, then they should take the money and run. At 27, McTominay cannot even remotely be considered a young player.
CB Jonny Evans
With one year left on his contract, the 36-year-old Jonny Evans was probably going to leave Manchester United regardless. The sad thing is, as poor as he was in this defeat, he was the best player on this list of four.
DM Sofyan Amrabat
Sofyan Amrabat, like Jonny Evans, can be let go very easily, because he isn’t even Manchester United’s player. The Red Devils acquired the World Cup hero on loan, spending a hefty 10 million euros just for one season of the Moroccan – and the chance to buy him permanently.
Well, that certainly isn’t happening, as Amrabat turned in another stinker and was hooked off late in the match, lasting longer than he probably should have.
Amrabat has offered nothing going forward for Man United, simply pinging the ball sideways or backwards. He is almost a caricature of the style of player he was at Fiorentina, toothless and timid. And to think, he actually had a promising first couple of games for Man United.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He has been an editor for NFL Spin Zone, Daily DDT for pro wrestling, Autzen Zoo covering the Oregon Ducks, Musket Fire covering the New England Patriots, The Real Champs covering Real Madrid, Old Juve covering Juventus, Rush The Kop covering Liverpool, and Release The Knappen covering Schalke. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.
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