Merson Warns: "Man Utd" Could Face a Heavy Defeat

Merson believes "Man Utd" is headed for a defeat if they don't enhance their gameplay against "Arsenal".

Paul Merson insists that "Man Utd" might be "thrashed by four or five goals" if they fail to enhance their play post Ruben Amorim's initial matches as their leader. Amorim's debut managing the "Red Devils" ended in a 1-1 tie at Portman Road last week, where Marcus Rashford's early score was nullified by Omari Hutchinson. The Portuguese coach earned his first win against "Bodo/Glimt", yet Merson anticipates a loss at the hands of "Arsenal" on Wednesday if United doesn't elevate their performance, while "Everton" on Sunday offers them an opportunity to refine their skills within Amorim's 3-4-3 formation that hasn't yet convinced the pundit.

"I think even Ruben Amorim was left astonished by what unfolded [against Ipswich]," Merson explained. "Should they not start clinching victories, Amorim will have to face many more inquiries, whether he fancies it or not. That is precisely how extensive this club is, and such is the Premier League in essence. I'm not wholly sold on Manchester United’s new strategy under Amorim.

"At a certain moment in that match, you could've thought Ipswich was the bigger club and not United, that’s the direction it went. People might argue everyone was off on international duty, and he lacked time. However, had that performance been against one of the top teams in the league, Manchester United would have been annihilated by four or five goals!"

Owen Hargreaves concurs that United might stumble against Arsenal without “two super-athletes” as his midfield pairing. "I believe they've got many skilled players. Do they possess the players capable of claiming the Premier League or Champions League? Probably not. That's going to need time to sort the recruitment out," Hargreaves articulated.

"The crucial thing is they obtain results. Clearly, the weekend's game against Everton is a tough one, yet at home, you'd presume they'd [United] win that game. Challenging fixtures, notably the Arsenal one afterward, but they must locate a means to produce results. Today, they didn't play spectacularly but discovered a way to clinch victory, which is the most significant thing. I don't think he has the personnel that he had at Sporting."

"If they plan to deploy two in midfield, those players need to be two super-athletes and cover the distances. I'm unsure they possess that. I assume they've got some excellent players, diverse players, but he might need to tweak it that perhaps one of the No.10s drops back while a wing-back elevates for width. Yet, I believe playing two in midfield against an Arsenal or a [Manchester] City is exceptionally challenging. I think it's a work in progress; patience is needed, but we are advancing."