The "Devils" Are Cursed: All the World's Misfortunes Have Fallen on Man United – and Amorim Is to Blame

The Portuguese coach may soon run out of healthy players.

Who would have thought that Manchester United fans would look back nostalgically on the Mourinho, Van Gaal, and Solskjær eras? Yet all it took was falling to 15th place in the Premier League, breaking dozens of negative records along the way, and losing the last hopes of reviving a once-great club.

United haven’t been this low in the table since 1974, the year they were relegated from the top flight. Their 1-0 loss to Tottenham marked their 12th defeat in the league after just 25 matches — the exact same tally they had in that fateful 1973/74 season.

You’d think the Premier League struggles wouldn’t matter as much, given that winning the Europa League guarantees a Champions League spot. But then came the injuries to Lisandro Martínez and Amad Diallo, two of United’s key players. Martínez is out for at least six months, Diallo for three.

Add to that Kobbie Mainoo’s several-week absence, the uncertain condition of Manuel Ugarte, and you get a United bench full of academy players against Spurs. And that’s without mentioning Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Jonny Evans, Toby Collyer, and Altay Bayındır, all stuck in the treatment room.

What’s worse, Diallo, Mainoo, Ugarte, and Collyer all got injured in training within a week before the Tottenham match. Can even the "Devils" be cursed? The reality is more mundane: United players have had to adjust mid-season from Erik ten Hag’s intense physical training to an even more grueling regimen under Rúben Amorim.

That might explain the muscle injuries, but not Martínez’s ACL tear or Diallo’s ankle ligament damage. Amorim, however, doesn’t believe in a cosmic conspiracy: "Sometimes, everything bad happens at once. Maybe we’ll find new ways to build our game."

That didn’t happen against Tottenham. United’s performance was slammed by almost everyone—chaotic defense, lifeless midfield, and a toothless attack. The only bright spot was Alejandro Garnacho, though he seems to have an underground artist’s taste — he refuses to score simple goals.

Some, like Gary Neville, went after the manager, but others acknowledged the brutal reality: the only recognizable face on the United bench was Victor Lindelöf. That’s why an out-of-shape Casemiro had to play in midfield, why Amorim made just one substitution, and why slow-footed Zirkzee had to replace the lively Diallo.

That one substitution spoke volumes: Casemiro was replaced by Chidozie Obi-Martin in the 91st minute. Ever heard of him? Neither have we. Amorim was notably less optimistic after the match: "We’re working, but the problems just keep piling up. This is a very, very tough job."

Perhaps Antony, now shining at Betis, could have helped the "Devils" right now. Then again, with this disastrous injury list, one patch wouldn’t have saved a sinking ship. United are 12 points above the relegation zone — there won’t be a repeat of 1973/74.

Now, United fans can only pray that Amorim doesn’t walk away before summer. Or that the club’s bosses don’t make yet another mistake — after the Spurs game, the Portuguese coach has become the top favorite for the next Premier League sacking.

Published by Patrick Jane
17.02.2025