Manchester United: A Sleeping Giant or a Deathbed Patient?
REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Manchester United could still end the season with a major European trophy. A Europa League win would mark three consecutive seasons with silverware. They previously won the FA Cup and the 2023 League Cup. Most teams would celebrate such a golden era.
But United is unlike most clubs. They are English football royalty and a global powerhouse. Cup success alone no longer suffices.
Manchester United Issues
Sunday’s 16th league loss, half at Old Trafford, highlighted the club’s ongoing crisis. Manager Rúben Amorim has struggled to reverse the decline.
New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe cannot fix deep-rooted structural issues overnight. Quick solutions cannot resolve systemic problems.
The club’s troubles began even before Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Though Ferguson guided an aging squad to the title, he foresaw the need to rebuild. Emerging financial powerhouses, Manchester City and Chelsea, made rebuilding more difficult. Ferguson’s successors faced higher stakes and more intense competition.
United’s problem isn’t investment but deployment. Transfers often appear reactive, focused on marquee names over long-term vision.
Lessons from the Past
The £89 million re-signing of Paul Pogba illustrates dysfunction. The club relied on aging stars like Casemiro and Raphaël Varane rather than nurturing new talent.
Former manager José Mourinho once called finishing second in the 2017–18 Premier League one of the best achievements of his career. The claim sparked controversy at the time, particularly in light of United’s ongoing struggles. But in hindsight, perhaps the Portuguese were onto something.
Amorim faces the same cycle today. Winning the Europa League and reaching the Champions League would help, but it cannot hide underlying issues.
A poorly balanced squad, managerial instability, and looming infrastructure costs weaken United compared to rivals and emerging clubs such as Aston Villa and Newcastle. Even Tottenham Hotspur, this season’s other underachiever, may be better positioned. Their young squad benefits from a recently completed stadium investment.
United will rise again. Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a league title proves resurgence is possible.
However, the club is not merely sleeping—it is in a deep coma. Revival requires vision, competence, and patience.
