Ruben Amorim finally had something to celebrate at the end of a turbulent few days at Manchester United.
He didn’t actually see Bruno Fernandes’ decisive stoppage-time penalty because he wanted to “watch the fans celebrate” as he was convinced his captain would score.
It was one of Amorim’s more rational statements in a week when he seemed to be adopting a scorched earth policy – such is the rollercoaster his emotional state has been.
However, when he takes a step back, the last-gasp 3-2 win over Burnley has left him with plenty of puzzles to solve and issues to deal with – and some are quite pressing.
Goalkeeping problems
Amorim gave the game away as he explained the difficulties his side were having in the opening weeks of the new campaign.
“We are in a moment where, with every possession near our box, they can score,” he reflected.
This is clearly not a great situation to be in, but one of the reasons for it is his goalkeepers keep making big mistakes.
On the opening weekend, it was Altay Bayindir’s failure to get clean contact on his attempt to punch Declan Rice’s corner away from danger that led to United losing against Arsenal.
In midweek, United were already behind when Andre Onana failed to get a Grimsby corner away from his six-yard box, which led to a second goal for the hosts as the Old Trafford outfit slithered to their first defeat by a fourth-tier team.
Bayindir returned against Burnley, and duly failed to gather Loum Tchaouna’s second-half shot, allowing the ball to roll to Jaidon Anthony, who, thanks to two deflections, made the score 2-2.
“I think it is hard to be a Manchester United goalkeeper in this moment,” said Amorim.
“They are humans. At Manchester United, everything is in the news.
“Everybody talks about the goalkeeper. I can change the goalkeeper and situations happen. We are in that moment.
“The players are struggling a little bit with all the things around the club. That is normal.
It’s not just the goalkeepers. I think everybody has to improve.”
That is fair. Yet it is also clear if the goalkeepers continue to make mistakes it will have a significant negative impact.
It is surely one of the reasons why United have been talking to Royal Antwerp about their goalkeeper Senne Lammens, who was once again left out of his side’s Belgian Pro-League game this afternoon with transfer rumours circling.
Galatasaray have been linked with Lammens and United’s keepers, and with the Turkish deadline not closing until 12 September we might have to wait a little while for the goalkeeping situation at Old Trafford to become completely clear.
Lammens wants to join United. Nothing that happened at Old Trafford against Burnley makes his arrival by Monday’s 19:00 BST transfer deadline less likely.
Have injuries ended Mainoo’s hopes of loan move?
Amorim ‘frustrated’ over missed Man Utd chances
Amorim said he did not know the extent of the injuries that forced Matheus Cunha out of the game after half an hour and Mason Mount at half-time.
Cunha appeared to sustain a hamstring problem as he sprinted upfield and quickly signalled he would not be able to continue.
On Sunday, Brazil confirmed the forward would not be joining up with the squad over the international break following a “conversation” with United’s medical department.
Mount did not re-emerge for the second half and Amorim said afterwards the former Chelsea man had been experiencing a problem for 30 minutes before that: “I am concerned about that,” he said.
Joshua Zirkzee replaced Cunha and Kobbie Mainoo stepped in for Mount as Fernandes was pushed upfield.
Mainoo has asked to move away from United on loan before the deadline closes and he is not short of options. The question was asked of United again after an initial transfer request was turned down. The second rejection was reinforced by Amorim in his news conference on Friday.
Yet Mainoo still felt the chance to play somewhere else rather than be back-up to Fernandes was more attractive.
Now, with Cunha and Mount potentially sidelined for a period of time, is it realistic to think Amorim would be prepared to release another of his offensive players even if it is still possible he will remain as a back-up?
Sesko situation explained
Benjamin Sesko joined Manchester United from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £73.7m
One of the major talking points at Grimsby was the fact striker Benjamin Sesko took his side’s 10th penalty. Only Onana had not taken one before the Slovenia international stepped up.
BBC Sport reported on Thursday Sesko had been suffering from severe cramp.
Amorim confirmed this after the Burnley win, when he also outlined why Sesko remained on the bench when substitutes were needed to replace Cunha and Mount.
Sesko eventually replaced midfielder Casemiro 18 minutes from time.
“It’s all connected,” said Amorim. “He finished the game [at Grimsby] with cramps and he really was in the limit. That’s why we protected Ben from the penalties.
“Today I thought Ben didn’t do 90 minutes in pre-season and then did it on Wednesday.
“You don’t know if that full game in the middle of the week has something to do with [Cunha’s] injury today. With the problem with Mason Mount, I was not risking another player without knowing they are able to play so many minutes.”
Amorim taking it a day at a time
Amorim is no longer interested in answering questions about whether his side have ‘turned a corner’.
He was happy enough to say he “loved” his players after this performance, 24 hours after outlining his emotions during matches sometimes make him “hate” them, and “feel like quitting”.
But he knows it will take more than a nerve-shredding home win against a newly promoted team to convince anyone his methods are starting to work.
He has still never won successive Premier League games, so that would be a start.
The problem is United’s next opponents are Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on 14 September.
After that it is Chelsea at Old Trafford and then a trip to Brentford, where they have taken just one point from their last three visits – and twice conceded four goals.
“I’m not thinking about a turning point,” he said. “I had this conversation with you guys 10 times.
“So I’m not. It’s day by day. We have a lot to do but we return a little bit to our level today.”
BBC
