Ruben Amorim took charge of his first Manchester United game on Sunday evening but was unable to get the better of newly promoted Ipswich Town as the sides played out a 1-1 at Portman Road.
Marcus Rashford appeared to look more at home, featuring in a centre-forward role, compared to being off either wing, as he did under former boss Erik ten Hag.
However, despite avoiding defeat in his meeting in charge of the Red Devils, the 39-year-old will be far from happy with his attacking unit – unable to break down the low block of the Tractor Boys, subsequently resulting in dropped points.
There’s no denying that his new system will take time to implement at Old Trafford, with supporters needing to be patient with the former Sporting CP boss if he is to be a success in Manchester.
The same can’t be said for some players, who may struggle to find themselves in Amorim’s plans beyond January should they continue to perform in the same vein as they did at the weekend.
Man Utd’s lack of attacking threat
Over the last couple of years, the club’s hierarchy have tried to invest money into multiple big-money strikers to try and provide that cutting edge, like Erling Haaland has done for the blue half of Manchester.
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are just two attackers who have arrived at Old Trafford in recent times, trying to provide the goods and catapult the Red Devils towards the summit of the Premier League.
The aforementioned pair set the owners back £108.5m, with the duo only able to contribute with three goals in a combined 31 appearances between the duo – working out at £36m per goal in 2024/25.
Zirkzee managed to score on his debut against Fulham at Old Trafford in the season opener back in August, but since then, he has often looked way beyond the levels required of a player to lead United back to the glory days.
His time in England was summed up by his effort off the bench against Kieran McKenna’s side on Sunday evening, picking the ball up on the edge of the box, before thumping his effort way over the bar.
Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system also places a huge responsibility on the shoulders of the two attacking midfielders, with Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho featuring in such a role at the weekend.
The Argentine, in particular, struggled in an unfamiliar position, with the new boss and the hierarchy already targeting a new addition who could feature at the top end or in a free role behind Rashford for the Red Devils.
Man Utd targeting their own Palmer
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, United are one of a number of sides monitoring the progress of Wolves talent Matheus Cunha after an impressive start to the 2024/25 campaign that’s seen him emerge as one of the most exciting forward players in the top-flight.
The Brazilian, who cost the West Midlands outfit £43m back in January 2023, has already notched seven goals and three assists for a side who have been towards the bottom end of the table in recent months.
However, Spurs, Napoli and Newcastle United all also hold an interest in signing the 25-year-old after his impressive start to the season under Gary O’Neil.
Said to be “in the form of his life” by Don Hutchison, the former Atlético Madrid ace has been categorised as a similar player to Chelsea’s Cole Palmer via FBRef – with Cunha potentially becoming Amorim’s version of the England superstar should he make the move.
Whilst on the face of it, the comparison may seem a little far-fetched, when delving into their respective stats, the Wolves star has matched or even bettered Palmer in numerous key areas – showcasing what an excellent pickup he would be for United.
Cunha may have registered slightly fewer combined goals and assists in the league, but he’s averaged more shots on target per 90, along with a higher take-on success rate, both tending to operate in the pockets of space behind the central striker.
Games played
12
12
Goals & assists
10
12
Pass accuracy
72%
73%
Progressive carries
3.5
3.4
Shot-on-target accuracy
37%
32%
Shots on target per 90
1.2
1
Take-on success
48%
37%
It’s unclear if O’Neil’s side would be willing to part ways with their star player in January, or how much any potential transfer would set United back but the idea of signing a player so similar to one of the Premier League’s elite must surely appeal to Amorim and INEOS.
One thing is for certain, though, he would be a phenomenal talent who would no doubt massively improve the new manager’s attacking options, having all the tools to be the Red Devils’ own version of the England star.
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