Despite much fanfare, Sofyan Amrabat has had a mediocre start to life as a Manchester United player which has seen him drop down to the bench. Consequently, his spot in the team has been frequently taken by the much-maligned Scott McTominay.

It all started out so differently for the Moroccan World Cup hero. The midfield general was praised by United fans for his incredible patience to sign for the club despite the interest of many other teams including Premier League rivals Fulham. The player, who claimed to only have eyes for the Red Devils, finally got his dream move from Fiorentina on deadline day.

In fact, arch-rivals Liverpool were also rumoured to be close to securing the services of the World Cup semi-finalist, as a deal was said to be “only hours away”. However, once again Amrabat’s supposed desire for United kept the deal from happening. That is quite a way to endear yourself to Manchester United fans around the globe.

Anyone who was following the Red Devils’ transfer activity on social media during the dying embers of the window would have seen the name Amrabat trending everyday on X. Such a clamour for a player of the Moroccan’s stature is rare. You would have been excused for thinking United were chasing a world-class talent like Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham.

Man United fans got their wish and the man from Morocco was brought in on an initial €10m loan fee with the possibility of a permanent deal for €25m. The excitement probably mainly stemmed from the trending video of Amrabat heroically chasing down Mbappe at the World Cup and producing a monstrous sliding tackle to not only cleanly win the ball, but also continue to drive his team down the pitch by majestically carrying the ball downfield.

Secondly, the shambolic midfield performances versus Wolves on the opening day of the season also led many to doubt the wisdom of an aging Casemiro being the only defensive midfield option at the club.

So, the Moroccan made his much awaited debut vs Burnley in September and had fans excitedly chattering after a “stunning” full debut vs Crystal Palace at home in a 3-0 Carabao Cup victory.

Sadly, and this seems a recurring theme this season, things have only gone downhill since. The man from Huizen has failed to make any real lasting impression on the team. In fact, he has also put in some brutally poor performances. He was hooked at half-time in the Manchester derby and seems a regular candidate for the referee’s notebook. The pace of both the league and Champions League seems too much for the former Fiorentina man at present. Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton claimed the player looked like “a fish out of water” in the team’s 1-0 defeat vs Crystal Palace.

The Peoples Person recently labelled the signing a 1 out 10 so far stating that the midfielder has looked “overawed” and is yet to “find his feet” at the top level.

This lack of impact can be seen in the 10 games he has played in all competitions for the Mancunian side, he has failed to score or register an assist. In fact, the long-range pile driver that rattled the bar against Sheffield United is the only real chance he has had. To be fair, goals and assists should not be the marker of a defensive midfielder. So, let’s delve deeper.

According to Transfermarkt the player has only played more than 45 mins five times in his 10 appearances for the club. Hardly a ringing endorsement from the manager. The team have also lost five games and conceded 16 goals with the Moroccan picking up 3 yellow cards. Not great.

In Amrabat’s defence, it has not been plain sailing for him. The prolonged nature of the transfer meant that the midfielder had not been training with Fiorentina all summer, so effectively had no real pre-season. Furthermore, an injury crisis at his new club saw him play his first few games as a left-back, which is far from his natural position.

Additionally, he has had a revolving door of defensive and midfield partners in a club which is doused in uncertainty. Would anyone really be successful is the question. Lastly, to compound matters, the World Cup star picked up an injury while on international duty, so he has probably not been able to play to his maximum potential.

So what could have gone wrong, has gone wrong. This is the story of the Red Devils’ season. No matter what way you look at it, you cannot sugarcoat it. Amrabat has struggled and doesn’t look good enough. If the season ended tomorrow, the manager would be mad to sanction a permanent move. Luckily for the Moroccan, the season doesn’t end tomorrow. We are only in November and there is ample time to turn it around. Casemiro’s long term injury has also provided him a chance to nail down a more regular starting role in the defensive midfield department. Over to you Sofyan.

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The defending champions never ever looked like troubling the Magpies and this result will heap further pressure on manager Erik ten Hag who seems to be losing the dressing room.

The Dutchman rotated his squad and one of the changes was bringing back Casemiro into the first XI after a chastening few weeks.

Casemiro has yet another off-colour outing

The manager was supposed to be talking to the Brazilian in a bid to help him regain form but he looked lost yet again.

He was once again substituted at half-time for the second game running and his statistics paint very poor picture yet again.

The former Real Madrid man had 43 touches of the ball but ended the first half with a passing rate of 75%.

What was even poorer was that he failed to once again do his primary job of shielding the defence, failing to win a single duel.

The 31-year-old lost possession 13 times and generally looked like he was not yet up to speed after a recent injury.

ETH cannot afford poor form from all defensive midfielders

Even attacking-wise, where he has thrived recently, Casemiro hardly got things right.

None of his two crosses found their mark while he managed to complete only 60% of the long balls he attempted (stats from Sofascore).

Sofyan Amrabat, who came in at half-time fared little better and Ten Hag will be desperate to see Casemiro regain the kind of form he showcased last season.

For now, things are looking dicey for Ten Hag who is on thin ground and anything could happen if the club get knocked out of the Champions League as well.

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A brace from Erling Haaland and a Phil Foden strike ensured the three minutes went to Pep Guardiola while heaping further misery on Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman looks clueless at the moment and that is best encapsulated by his flawed team selection time and again this season.

Amrabat’s struggles

The midfield has been a source of constant consternation for the manager as he has failed to zero in on the ideal partnership despite one-and-a-half season in charge at Old Trafford.

The majority of his acquisitions also seem to be struggling with Sofyan Amrabat painting a particularly disappointing picture recently.

Even in the last game against Copenhagen in the Champions League, he was subbed off at half-time and the same scenario repeated itself in the derby.

The Moroccan hardly touched the ball, accumulating a meagre 20 touches in 45 minutes, a very poor number for a midfielder.

He made only 10 passes as the game completely bypassed him. He seemed to be struggling to keep up with the intensity of the City players.

Played for his ability to shield the defence in Casemiro’s absence, the 27-year-old won only 50% of his duels, a very poor return.

He fouled City players twice while making only a solitary clearance and blocked one effort.

Amrabat yet to adjust to life at United

He hardly affected play further up front, with 0 shots, 0 long passes and 0 crosses. He hardly could get his team going (all stats via sofascore).

It was hardly surprising to see him make way for Mason Mount in the second half and Ten Hag might just opt to drop him altogether in the games to come.

While he initially struggled as the left-back, he has hardly uprooted any trees in his preferred position and Ten Hag’s insistence of signing him in the summer looks to be backfiring.

Amrabat was signed on an initial loan deal and judging by his displays, a permanent move might not happen unless a dramatic change in form occurs in the months to come.

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A double from Erling Haaland and a goal from Phil Foden were enough to hand Erik ten Hag his fifth defeat in 10 Premier League games this season.

Late into the game, Fernandes started recklessly charging about and diving into challenges, seemingly frustrated by the result and his own performance.

Fernandes tried to put in a heavy tackle on John Stones, who easily bypassed the Portuguese midfielder before proceeding forward.

After the incident, Neville said, “He’s trying to do someone there, Fernandes. He’s trying to do John Stones but he’s seen him coming and he’s ended up hurting himself. He’s conning no one with what he’s been trying to do over the past few minutes.”

Neville also took issue with Fernandes’ complaints to referee Paul Tierney, who dished out a yellow card to Antony for a lunging challenge on Jeremy Doku. Neville added on this, “There’s the couple of whinges that I promised you.”

The former defender also ripped into Antony for clashing with Doku, just minutes after being brought on as a substitute by Ten Hag in a desperate effort to make a difference.

He remarked on Antony, “Doku is absolutely right, Antony just has a kick at him. United have lost their discipline, it starts with the captain. It’s absolutely ridiculous, I would just send him off. It’s embarrassing.”

Neville spoke on Sky Sports and questioned United’s “strange” transfer strategy and specifically their recruitment of midfielders.

Ten Hag started a midfield trio of Sofyan Amrabat, Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay in the number 10 position.

Amrabat’s substitution at the interval saw Mason Mount come in. McTominay was pushed back to the pivot, with Eriksen as the deepest-lying midfielder.

Mount barely had a kick and his introduction was ultimately a futile endeavour. City still managed to easily power through United in the middle of the park.

This prompted Neville to explain, “You just sort of wonder how they have been recruited. Eriksen, Fernandes and Mount are all No.10s. There is three of them.”

“Casemiro and Amrabat are the ones who sit a little bit deeper. McTominay, to be fair, was supposed to be leaving, he [Ten Hag] wanted him out, and he is probably now United’s best midfield player in terms of performances in these last few weeks. It is all a little bit strange.”

United face Newcastle next in the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford.

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Goals from Erling Haaland either side of half-time and a second half strike from Phil Foden was enough for Pep Guardiola’s men to secure yet another victory in the derby.

VAR was yet another talking point and it would have been more of a contentious topic if the team had put up a fight. Instead they rolled over and allowed City to treat the game as a training ground routine.

A defeat against the defending champions is not necessarily a cause for concern but the manner of the defeat will rankle with fans around the world.

ETH letting the club down

Not one player tried to push the opposition on the backfoot but the biggest criticism should go to manager Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman is beginning to resemble Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho during their final campaigns and that is not a good sign.

The manager has hidden behind the excuses of injuries and off-field controversies but his team selection and flawed tactics continue to hamper the team.

He spoke of pragmatism ahead of the encounter, something that would have been a smart choice if the team looked cohesive out of possession and compact when they had the ball.

Instead all the players looked completely lost, almost like they were playing together for the first time while never even practicing together as a group.

Sofyan Amrabat looks like yet another wasted signing, like most of the manager’s previous acquisitions and he was once again substituted at half-time.

Everyone will be wondering why he selects the same personnel expecting a different result each time. His “tactical” changes before the game were also poor to say the least.

Playing Victor Lindelof for his height ahead of a proper functioning left-back was yet another bad call with the Swede struggling throughout the game.

While injuries are a concern, after over 75 games, the manager should be able to figure out his best XI. He also does not know what his Plan B will be and that is concerning to say the least.

He keeps taking off his most potent attacking outlet in the form of Rasmus Hojlund every game while his substitutions are not having the sort of impact they had last season.

ETH deserves criticism despite injuries

He has had one-and-half seasons to try and employ a discernible style of play while taking charge of transfers. There is hardly anything positive about the team at the moment.

It is safe to say the team has regressed beyond recognition while none of the new signings seem up to the standards required.

Fans inside the stadium also seem to be growing impatient with the manager. He might not be bulletproof anymore in the eyes of the fans.

United could, within a week, be knocked out of both the Carabao Cup with Newcastle United coming to Old Trafford, and the Champions League with a daunting trip to Copenhagen to come next weekend.

And that might spell doom for the manager. Tough times lie ahead of Ten Hag and United. Can they ride the storm? On current evidence, that does not look likely.

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Manchester United´s start to the season has been somewhat of a rollercoaster ride. Another unfortunate characteristic of Erik ten Hag´s side is the inability to score the number of goals expected of a top-class side.

However, it must be stated that the lack of consistency from the team is also significantly linked to the injury crisis the club are going through at the minute.

If all the players were at the coach’s disposal, the manager would pick a team that looked something like this.

In goal, Andre Onana must be the first choice. He has already had his fair share of embarrassing moments this season, but he is the ball playing keeper the manager wants and needs.

His confidence will also be boosted from his recent heroics in the Champions League against Copenhagen.

The defence largely picks itself with Luke Shaw, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez all mainstays in most fans´first team. Probably the biggest debate is who should come in at right back.

In theory, Diogo Dalot fits the bill as a more well-rounded modern day full-back. However, he has flattered to deceive one too many times and that is why Aaron Wan-Bissaka seems the sensible choice.

Despite his weaknesses in attack, he provides great tackling prowess and Ten Hag has been convinced enough to reinstate him as his first choice.

The midfield also provides a little bit of a conundrum. Balance in this department has been an issue all season.

The selection of Mason Mount and Bruno Fernandes playing together with only Casemiro providing defensive cover has hardly covered itself in glory this season.

This was brutally exposed on opening day when Wolves cut through the midfield time and time again

Therefore, a selection of Casemiro, Sofyan Amrabat and Bruno Fernandes should provide a sufficient mix of silk and steel.

Mainly, Amrabat’s deep-lying playmaking and defensive instincts will not only allow Bruno to spend more time doing what he does best in chance creation, but also give the 31 year-old Casemiro some much needed assistance in the middle.

Finally, the attack must include Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund and Antony for different reasons. Irrespective of his quiet start to the campaign, Rashford is still the most dangerous experienced attacking outlet.

Hojlund has yet to hit the back of the net in the Premier League but has shown his talent in the Champions League.

Moving on to the last position of right winger, currently, the manager does not have much choice after the Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood incidents.

So despite his problems, Antony takes the final spot over the inexperienced Facundo Pellistri.

Certain players such as Alejandro Garnacho and Mason Mount would, in an ideal world, be knocking down the door to break into the starting side but it must be remembered it is a squad game.

Although, if everyone was fit and available, this would be United’s best eleven to fight on all fronts.

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Erik ten Hag would have undoubtedly been hoping that his side’s fightback to recover from Brentford’s opening goal before going on to clinch all three points would be the catalyst to finally get United’s season on track.

The Dutchman started Andre Onana in goal, with a defensive four of Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof ahead of the Cameroonian.

Ten Hag put his trust in a midfield trio consisting of Sofyan Amrabat, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes.

Rasmus Hojlund started up front with Antony and Marcus Rashford on either wing of the attacking line.

Here are three things we learned from Manchester United’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United.

Uninspiring first-half performance

Ten Hag’s men were below par during the opening 45 minutes.

They hardly fashioned any clear-cut goalscoring opportunities or created good chances for Hojlund to attack. The Danish striker cut a very lonely figure up front for large parts of the first period.

Even more disappointing was United’s failure to control the game, which allowed Sheffield United to go about their business comfortably without much fuss.

At times, it looked like the players were only launching hopeful balls to the forward men and expecting them to make something out of nothing.

The first half was mostly chaotic and lacked any semblance of order that United could capitalize on.

Sheffield United had the chance to take an early lead just three minutes in but Onana came up with a huge save to prevent his side from conceding.

The Red Devils took the lead against the run of play via McTominay, who somehow managed to guide the ball into the back of the net from a densely populated box.

However, as is the norm with United, they surrendered their one-goal advantage just six minutes after through Oli McBurnie, who converted his penalty with ease after McTominay turned from hero to villain with a hand ball in the area.

So far this season, United have been unconvincing and have produced extremely poor displays that have in turn hindered the club from getting good results. There is a lot of work to be done on the training ground.

It’s concerning that at this stage of his tenure at Old Trafford, there is still no clarity on what Ten Hag’s style of play consists of. Everything just seems disjointed and unsure.

Poor midfield dynamics

So far this term, there has been plenty of debate about how United’s midfield should be structured.

During United’s opening games of the season, the Fernandes, Casemiro and Mason Mount partnership came under intense criticism for their inability to gel and make an impact.

Casemiro’s absence due to injury made it almost necessary to start Amrabat. McTominay’s heroics against Burnley were seemingly enough, at least in Ten Hag’s eyes, to hand the Scotland international a start vs. Sheffield United.

As a three, Amrabat, McTominay and Fernandes were poor.

Amrabat did not show the grit that characterises his game. The Moroccan failed to stamp his authority in the middle of the park. He came close to scoring in the second half when his powerful shot hit the bar but apart from that, he didn’t do much.

Apart from the goal and conceding the penalty, McTominay did nothing else of note. He was mostly missing from action and it’s no surprise the 26-year-old was among the first to be taken off by Ten Hag.

Fernandes’ main faults lay in his inability to keep the ball. He was wasteful in possession, either by needlessly attempting a Hollywood pass or being unaware of an incoming rival player looking to snatch the ball from him.

Overall, United’s midfielders were not up to the required standards and it’s hardly puzzling just how much better the team looked after Christian Eriksen’s introduction.

Initially, there was no control whatsoever, no sufficient build-up and no recognizable patterns of play. It’s on Ten Hag and his coaching staff to quickly find a solution lest the team continues to suffer and be outdone by opponents.

Further injury concerns in the defensive department

United’s woes with respect to injuries suffered by defenders are set to be compounded after Evans was taken off against Sheffield United.

Evans delved into a tackle but came out injured from it.

He was immediately replaced by Raphael Varane, who himself is likely not fully fit seeing as he started on the bench rather than being named in the starting XI.

Should Evans be sidelined for a prolonged period, he will join the likes of Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez on the treatment table.

There are also doubts about Sergio Reguilon’s fitness, given that the Spaniard was not even in the matchday squad.

Ten Hag is down to the bare bones with regard to defenders and cannot afford to lose any more members of the backline. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious and Evans’ substitution was only a precaution.

The post Three things we learned as Manchester United secure narrow win against Sheffield United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

The Atlas Lions garnered an important three points during the final qualifying match for the African Cup of Nations, finishing top of their group as a result of the win.

Morocco is set to host the next tournament – after January 2024’s edition in the Ivory Coast – in 2025.

Amrabat was ruled out of the key match through injury, according to a report by alayam24.

Moroccan manager, Walid Regragui, revealed before the game that he was aware of Amrabat’s forced absence, but did not indicate the exact nature of the injury.

“We will not hide behind absences, because we knew about Sofyan Amrabat’s absence before the start of the camp,” Regragui asserted.

“Amrabat can get injured at some point. We must find a solution and alternative, and we have players capable of filling the void that Sofyan will leave.”

The Moroccan manager went on to praise Amrabat’s contributions to the squad, regardless of his availability on the pitch.

“With Amrabat with us, there is always an addition, just like what happens to the Egyptian national team in the event of Mohamed Salah’s presence or absence,” Regragui revealed, indicating Amrabat offers value in the dressing room, as much as on the pitch.

It constitutes a potential blow to Manchester United, however, with the club enduring an almost unprecedented injury crisis this season.

The issue has become so prevalent the club have launched an internal investigation into why so many of the first-team squad have suffered injuries. 

Erik ten Hag will be hoping his new midfield general’s injury is not too serious, as United’s midfield has been in desperate need of an uplift in performance. 

The post Sofyan Amrabat misses game for Morocco with injury appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

This term, United have won only four games and lost just as many in the Premier League. Their most recent win came in the 2-1 comeback against Brentford.

At the moment, Erik ten Hag’s men sit in 10th position, just a point above Chelsea.

It’s an almost similar story in the Champions League where United are firmly bottom of Group A following their losses at the hands of Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.

Amrabat spoke to Premier League Productions via club media and refused to give any excuses for the Red Devils’ poor performances.

Instead, the midfielder was optimistic and upbeat about United’s chances of overturning their current predicament when club football resumes after the ongoing international break.

The 27-year-old said, “I think I can say a lot of things, but I don’t want to use them as an excuse. I think in life, but also in football, it never goes always only good, or top. You always have a moment that maybe it will be a little bit difficult, and now I think it’s a bit like that at the moment.”

“But we just started. We still have a very long season, a long way [to go]. I think we have played good games [and had] a lot of positive and good things.”

“Maybe with a bit more luck, we’d have won the games that we didn’t win. So I have a lot of confidence and I think yeah, we work very hard every day.”

Amrabata added, “Nobody will give it to you. You have to work for it. But we work very hard and I believe it will be fine. It will be good.”

The Moroccan remarked that there is full support in Ten Hag and with time and patience, results will get better.

He hailed his manager and indicated that the Dutch coach ensures the players have trained a lot to ensure that the team is as perfect as possible.

Amrabat opined that football is about ups and downs and that’s how he likes it.

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According to ESPN’s Rob Dawson, Reguilon was part of the group that carried out sessions at Carrington on Friday morning.

Sergio Reguilon trained with Man United this morning so there’s a possibility he will be fit to return this weekend. Ten Hag holding a press conference in about half an hour.

— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) October 6, 2023

The Spaniard came off injured during United’s 1-0 win against Burnley at Turf Moor.

He seemed to be clutching his hamstring although the exact nature of the setback he suffered was not specified by the club.

Reguilon missed subsequent games against Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup, Palace again in the Premier League and more recently, Galatasaray in the Champions League.

In all three games, Erik ten Hag was forced to come up with stop-gap solutions.

Sofyan Amrabat, naturally a midfielder, primarily played as a left-back and did relatively well. It was clear however that Reguilon was sorely missed.

A report covered by The Peoples Person indicated that Reguilon was expected to come back after the upcoming international break.

However, it seems that he stepped up his recovery and could be playing for United at least a game earlier.

His return ahead of the must-win game vs. Thomas Frank’s men will undoubtedly come as a huge boost to Ten Hag and the team.

At one point, Diogo Dalot was the only fit senior full-back on the club’s books.

Before his injury, Reguilon was performing well and it was relayed that a permanent Old Trafford stay for the 26-year-old cannot be permanently ruled out.

In addition to providing more cover to the defensive department, Reguilon’s comeback could also finally allow Ten Hag to deploy Amrabat higher up the pitch, where he is more suited.

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