Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final on Wednesday night wasn’t the outcome they were hoping for. The two clubs, ranked 16th and 17th in the Premier League, respectively, squared off for a shot at a trophy and a spot in the Champions League the following season. Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs prevailed thanks to a goal from Brennan Johnson in the first half.
The outcome condemned United to a season without a trophy and gave Tottenham their first trophy since 2008. Ruben Amorim thought the game was a must-win for his team after a dismal start to life at Old Trafford, but they didn’t win, and he may be held accountable for that. These four critical errors were made by the head coach during his team’s defeat in the Europa League final.
Playing Leny Yoro Out of Position
The defender was played on the right side of a back three
Leny Yoro is regarded as one of football’s most promising young defenders because he can truly make an impact whenever he’s on the pitch. To accomplish so, however, he must be playing a position that works for him. Yoro was positioned on the right of the three since Amorim started Luke Shaw on the left side of his back three when they played Tottenham.
Even though Shaw has been a vital member of the team throughout the years, he lacked the stamina to compete with Spurs, and United ultimately lost because of their choice to set up the back three in that manner. One of their admirers expressed this sentiment on X (Twitter): “I don’t understand how he’s begun him [Shaw]? Every game, he has been bad. Another said, “Shaw’s been poor since his return to the team, not sure why Amorim has started him, Yoro better as LCB.” I would have started Yoro at LCB.
Deep in Bruno Fernandes’ role
It stopped the star from having an offensive effect on the game.
Bruno Fernandes’ performances this year were one bright spot in United’s terrible campaign. The club may have been in a far worse position going into the summer if it weren’t for the Portuguese maestro, who has been at the top of his creative game this season. When Fernandes is playing at his best, he seeks to have a significant offensive influence and pulls strings in an attacking midfield role.
However, for whatever reason, Amorim started Fernandes in a more central midfield position and Mason Mount in an offensive midfield role. The star was negated, and he was unable to have the same kind of influence in the latter third that he had so frequently in the past. “Any manager who has Bruno Fernandes dropping deep to pick the ball up should not be a manager,” one fan wrote on social media, criticising Amorim for the move.
Waiting a Very Long Time to Replace
It was not until the 71st minute that he made his first alteration.
Johnson put United ahead just before halftime, ending a drab first half in which they were now down 1-0. Spurs easily maintained their lead at the beginning of the second half, and it was obvious that United needed to make some adjustments to try to alter things up and give themselves an opportunity to even the score.
However, Amorim didn’t think so, and he put off changing the game for much too long. Actually, he didn’t make his first two changes until the 71st minute, when he brought Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho off the bench. The two had an instant effect. In an attempt to equalise, United took charge of the match and forced Spurs to play on the defensive. Before introducing Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo, he waited another fifteen minutes, but it was too little, too late. “I don’t care what anyone says, but those substitutions were made way too late,” an irate supporter said.
Refusing to Play Kobbie Mainoo
The midfield player was benched.
Although United hasn’t had a good few years, Kobbie Mainoo’s rise from the club’s academy was a significant plus. The midfield player made an immediate impression and appeared to be one of the most promising players to emerge from their development setup in a long time. Even if he didn’t perform as well as he did in his first season, he still makes an impact.
However, he was compelled to observe most of the Europa League final. As United faltered in the centre of the park, he was benched for nearly ninety minutes. When they finally brought him on, the damage was already done.
xz
