Ruben Amorim's Man Utd Are Improving Despite What Naysayers Think

Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United: Progress Hidden Beneath the Surface

Sometimes, results don’t do as much justice to a team’s progress as the numbers beneath the surface. Manchester United under Ruben Amorim inhabit that space, a squad often criticised for inconsistency, yet producing performances far more competitive than the table suggests.

Scorelines since April might feed the doubters, but deeper metrics reveal a team gradually finding cohesion, carving chances, and controlling matches, even if the outcomes have lagged behind their underlying promise.

A Story Hidden Behind the Scoreboard

At first glance, two league victories since April appear underwhelming. Digging deeper, United have generated more high-quality chances than nearly any other side in that timeframe.

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Across the last ten fixtures, they have taken 165 shots, the highest in the division, while restricting opponents to just 91 attempts. The discrepancy lies in execution, and it's finishing that has lagged.

Nine goals from those opportunities translate to a conversion rate of roughly 5.45 percent, revealing a side applying pressure and territory dominance but lacking clinical precision in the final moments.

The Problem in Both Boxes

Efficiency remains the Achilles’ heel. Attacking underperformance has cost United seven goals relative to expected output, while defensively, they have conceded four more than projected.

These figures underline more than tactical challenges. They suggest lapses in concentration, confidence, or quality at critical junctures.

Players frequently place themselves in decisive positions, yet the margin for error in finishing or defending remains high, leaving goal difference unflattering despite evidence of consistent dominance in opportunity creation.

Tactical Shifts and Context

Amorim’s tactical setup has faced criticism, particularly regarding the quality and danger of opportunities conceded defensively. Even in matches where opponents were reduced to ten men, United struggled to capitalise fully.

The context is important: games against depleted Bournemouth and Aston Villa towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign presented clear numerical superiority, yet dominating possession and territory does not automatically translate into control or decisive results.

It was the same when they hosted Arsenal at the start of the current campaign, in which they lost 1-0 at Old Trafford.

The Fulham trip told the same story, a commanding opening spell, wave after wave of pressure, yet no breakthrough. Burnley at Old Trafford was another example, where dominance in chance creation nearly unravelled late on despite a 3-2 victory.

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United created enough to win comfortably, but the failure to finish left them exposed, and for long stretches it looked as though they might squander everything.

Expected goal data already adjusts for shot difficulty, highlighting that conversion rather than structure has been the limiting factor.

Signs of Momentum Despite Results

Across thirty league games, Amorim’s side has shown steady progress. Since March, Man United have consistently outperformed opponents in chance creation and shot quality.

While results have not mirrored this improvement, records indicate that sustained superiority in opportunities tends to translate into points over time.

Patterns are forming. United are learning to assert control, build pressure, and create clear openings. These foundations, though currently underrepresented in the scoreboard, suggest a trajectory heading in the right direction.

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Why Patience Matters

It's hard to talk about patience in a world where results dictate narratives and instant judgment overshadows progress, but football’s history reinforces a simple truth, which is that teams that dominate in chance creation eventually see that reflected in results.

Finishing efficiency fluctuates naturally, and the most wasteful sides seldom remain so indefinitely, and even the most clinical teams face regression.

United’s metrics indicate progress rather than regression. As the forward line regains confidence and begins to convert quality opportunities, the performances currently hidden in numbers will increasingly be rewarded in outcomes.

For Ruben Amorim, the early challenges have been significant, but the direction of travel is encouraging and far healthier than critics suggest.