Familiar problems are beginning to impact Manchester United, with points being dropped from winning positions far too often under Ruben Amorim.
The issue Manchester United have this season, beyond all others, is a failure to put games away, giving opposition hope that they will get back into it.
In back-to-back games, United have failed to win after taking the lead, and this will be a real source of frustration for Ruben Amorim, as he knows that this cannot continue.
The problem of capitulating has happened only in the second half of games, and in particular, United seem to be lost without one particular player on the pitch.
Manchester United need to solve the Casemiro problem in January
In every win this season, United have scored first before second-half collapses have seen the games become much harder than they used to be.
The common denominator in this is that for the Chelsea win, Liverpool win, Brighton win, and the Spurs draw, United were fine until Casemiro departed the field.
However, when Casemiro is taken off, the drop in quality to Manuel Ugarte is so severe that the team loses all control and composure, ending up letting the other team back into the game, and this weekend dropping points.
Amorim cannot be to blame, with Casemiro requesting he be taken off against Spurs after a hard tackle, and the 33-year-old struggles to play the full 90 minutes anyway.
In all competitions this season, United have conceded 20 goals, 15 of which have come while Casemiro isn’t on the pitch.
This record showcases just how important the Brazilian is for United, and why it is a massive problem that he is so pivotal. It needs to be solved in January.
Manchester United needs a better Casemiro alternative
It cannot be a coincidence that Manuel Ugarte’s presence leads to United getting worse and conceding goals. Casemiro holds the team together with his quality, but he simply cannot do it as often as is needed anymore.
There is no secret that United are planning serious midfield additions in 2026, with Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, and Elliot Anderson all linked, but January needs to see a new option if the Red Devils want to push for Champions League football.
One possible option could be to go out and sign Andrey Santos from Chelsea, as he deserves more than the minutes he is currently getting there, being a player with very similar qualities to Casemiro, just more mobile.
Conor Gallagher looks like the most likely addition of all, but he wouldn’t be the big upgrade needed, although he is better than Ugarte and proven in the Premier League.
One thing for certain, United can’t see the season out with this issue, especially if Casemiro is picking up injuries.
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