Ruben Amorim, whether you believe he’ll fix Manchester United or is just the latest to pick up an instrument on a sinking Titanic, has guts.
Imagine taking a job that everyone knew would be a massive undertaking, barely breathing life into it, and then acknowledging publicly after an embarrasing loss that it’s not looking much better.
Here’s Amorim after the 3-1 loss to Brighton in an interview that ended with him saying this Man United team might be the worst in club history.
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“Imagine what this is for fans of Manchester United,” Amorim said. “We are getting a new coach that is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that. I am not going to change no matter what and I know we can succeed but we need to survive this moment because I’m not naive. We need to survive now.
It would be insane for United to consider changing coaches now, but it shows how confident Amorim is in himself and the process. And it also says to Manchester United owners INEOS that Amorim needs at least some of his players.
And, happily for Amorim, United was far from the only big side to flop in Week 22. Read on about rough days for Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle before Chelsea bids to avoid that fate come Monday versus Wolves (Watch live at 3pm ET on USA Network, streaming live on NBC.com).
Here are 10 quick thoughts about the nine games staged in Week 22 so far from our writers — Joe Prince-Wright, Andy Edwards, and Nick Mendola.
10 things we learned from Week 22 of the 2024-25 Premier League season
Brighton’s ‘no fear’ set-up embarrassing for ‘maybe worst ever’ Man United
Manchester United 1-3 Brighton & Hove Albion
This is Old Trafford, the so-called ‘Theater of Dreams’ which has played host to hundreds of entertaining multi-goal displays from Manchester United. Yet Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler clearly had no fear of the Red Devils out-scoring his men on Sunday, as he deployed a host of attackers with a confidence that Ruben Amorim’s attackers would not feast much at home. Take away a half-dozen first-half minutes prior to Bruno Fernandes’ penalty and this game was almost all Brighton. Man United didn’t really muster sustained pressure until just before Brighton found its third goal, and much of that happened because the Seagulls dropped off to deal with an increasingly-attack minded Man United team with Antony, Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, and Toby Collyer replacing Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Noussair Mazraoui, and Joshua Zirkzee. It took Carlos Baleba’s clothesline of Zirkzee to get United on the penalty spot, and Amad Diallo was the only consistent threat aside from a couple of decent Bruno Fernandes moments. Teams might think they’ll be challenged by Man United at Old Trafford, but they don’t fear the attack. That’s wild and sad, and explains why their new manager is taking responsibility for not yet fixing what he’s calling “the worst team, maybe, in the history of Manchester United.” Good times. — Nick Mendola
Pressure mounting on Arsenal after draw, Liverpool’s late win
Arsenal will have seen that Liverpool were drawing 0-0 at Brentford as the 90th minute arrived. By the time they went out for their warm ups, Darwin Nunez had scored twice to seal a 2-0 win, and now Liverpool have a six-point lead over the Gunners and a game in-hand at Everton to come soon. Mikel Arteta revealed he knew exactly how Liverpool were getting on against Brentford and pointed to them having options off the bench, as Nunez stepped up this time, to win them the game.
“Yeah, there are moments, obviously, they managed to do that. They made the subs, and the subs made the impact, and they managed to change the game,” Arteta said. “And in our side, it was the opposite, even though, after conceding the two goals very close to each other, the danger was, because I knew how the team was, that we could go down here because we were physically drained. Suddenly, the team find another gear to go again and just put Aston Villa in there, in the box, and go and go again, trying to find the goal that we haven’t been able to score at the end.”
The pressure of chasing the leaders is tiring. It’s mentally and physically draining to always feel like you’re just a few results behind where you want to be, or think you should be. Arsenal’s fans are creating a brilliant atmosphere around this title run but their stunned reaction at chucking this lead away summed up a feeling of being tantalizingly close once again, but fate not being on their side. Fans showed their frustration by standing in silence, shaking their heads, hitting the seats in front of them to vent their anger. They know that given the current circumstances this squad they have right now is doing all it can to be top of the table. But after coming second in back-to-back seasons behind Manchester City, and now trailing Liverpool by a considerable margin, this all feels very familiar for Arsenal. And it’s starting to get to them..— Joe Prince-Wright
Official petition to rename the Gtech: The Goal Ground
There have been 52 goals scored in 12 PL games at the Gtech Community Stadium this season (29 by Brentford, 23 by the visitors). Of the 24 sides that took the field in those games, only two (both Brentford, both in the last four games) were kept off the score sheet. More on the last four games: 0W-1D-3L, just 3 goals scored. Despite the fact that Brentford are now winless in four at home (after starting 7W-1D), they continue to be right in games until the very end against the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City, and Nottingham Forest. The Bees have also won just one of their last seven PL games (1W-2D-4L) and look like a side that could do with some rest and reinforcements returning from injury. — Andy Edwards
Cold Manchester City stars heating up
Ipswich Town 0-6 Manchester City
Yes, Manchester City are addressing a group of defenders that needs improvement but here’s the bad news for opponents smelling blood in the water — City are still one of the only teams in the world who can score four or more goals with ease, and only once has a team scored five and failed to win the game (West Brom’s 5-5 draw with Man United in 2013). So if Kevin De Bruyne (two assists) and Phil Foden (two goals, one assist) are going to produce at more normal levels than their down seasons so far, you’re not beating City. Oh, and Erling Haaland getting on the scoreboard with his fresh new contract is a nice bonus, as he’s now just a goal off Mohamed Salah’s Golden Boot race lead. No one scores six and loses. It’s never happened. And it’s pretty rare that a team scores three or four and loses. Ipswich’s defense isn’t always on the other side of the pitch, but you know what’s better for City than again becoming a world-class defense? Returning to the lethal attack that threatened to score 100 goals any given Premier League season. Don’t sleep on what’s likely to be a top-four or even higher campaign when all is said and done. — Nick Mendola
Tottenham’s fans still not turning on Postecoglou as pressure builds
Are Spurs in a relegation scrap? They’ve won just one of their last 10 Premier League games, and that was away at bottom club Southampton. They are just eight points above the relegation zone after their loss at struggling Everton. Postecoglou’s record in the Premier League since they lost at home to Chelsea in November 2023 — a run of 50 games — is 19 wins, seven draws, and now 24 defeats. After an incredible start to life in charge at Tottenham, the damaging defeat to Chelsea showed the flaws in Ange-ball and Spurs have never really recovered from it. The fans still aren’t turning on Postecoglou and are directing the majority of the ire at chairman Daniel Levy and the board for not spending enough to give Postecoglou a better, deeper squad to manage. The injury issues this season have been incredible and not something that can be addressed in the planning stage. But this happened last season too and Spurs didn’t heed that warning. Postecoglou’s side now have Leicester, Brentford, Man United, and Ipswich in their next four Premier League games. With key players starting to come back, albeit with Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup games sprinkled amongst it all, Ange needs at least three wins in the league from those four. Otherwise, Spurs are really in a relegation scrap. Even injuries can’t help Ange then. — Joe Prince-Wright
Cherries’ clear strategy can stretch all the way to Europe
Newcastle United 1-4 Bournemouth
Andoni Iraola had no senior players to select on the bench at Newcastle as Bournemouth’s injury problems have been huge. But they battered Newcastle away from home, stretching their unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 games and there’s huge confidence they can qualify for Europe for the first time in their history. The fact Bournemouth were able to secure a draw at Chelsea (they were leading in the 95th minute) and win at Newcastle in the space of four days with so many key players out is astonishing. But not unlikely. That’s because Iraola has created a system and environment where every single player knows their job. Squad players come in and it still looks the same. Bournemouth are horrible to play against and their fitness levels are supreme and they press teams and push high and are so good on the counter. The good thing for Bournemouth’s unlikely European push is that they’re about to get key players back in the coming weeks. They should, in theory, only get stronger from here on out. Last year Bournemouth’s American owner Bill Foley said European qualification is their aim. Most people raised their eyebrows at that. Nobody is doing that now. Bournemouth have become one of the stories of the Premier League season and are fast becoming everyone’s favorite second team. — Joe Prince-Wright
Arteta undone, as Emery’s arose as his thorn — ‘We never give up’
Unai Emery now boasts a 2W-1D-2L record for Aston Villa in five tries against Arsenal and it has to taste so sweet for a masterful manager who cannot feel he was given enough time to shine in North London. The ex-Arsenal boss has his Villa side in the UEFA Champions League aside the Gunners, nd he’s now dented their 2024-25 title hopes after putting a sword in their 2023-24 plans with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium in Week 33. Emery was buzzing.
“Fantastic, brilliant — the players how they reacted after the two goals,” Emery said after the game. “We competed like more or less we wanted, in the tactical way, how we can compete and mentality. We never give up, and the investment on the field was extraordinary. We tried to get one more, to get the game. They were pushing and created chances, but even like that, we had another two. Like Arsenal, they are powerful here at home. They don’t concede goals. And we did it.”
It will be difficult to recover from this, but the Gunners’ midweek action in the Champions League gives them a chance to start their rebound. West Ham follows in what’s always a feisty London derby. Game on. — Nick Mendola
Clinical Forest do just enough to win, but injuries now a concern
Nottingham Forest 3-2 Southampton
Nottingham Forest scored three goals from three shots on target in the first half, as their only three attacks of the half all ended in goals. Forest have been ruthless all season long and this game summed up why they can hang in there at the top of the table. There will be plenty of tight games like this ahead but when teams give Forest a sniff at goal they take it. Saints made two defensive mistakes and Anderson and Hudson-Odoi smashed home from distance. But the only issue for Forest is the drop-off when they do pick up a few injuries. Hudson-Odoi went off injured in the first half and Murillo went off in the second. If both are out for some time, that’s a big problem for Nuno Espirito Santo as they were very lucky not to throw this away as Aina’s goal-line clearance deep into stoppage time stopped it from being 3-3. Forest’s starting 11 and a few players off the bench can keep this run going but if Forest have to start digging a bit deeper into their squad, that is how this fairytale run could come to an end. Even if it does, a top six finish is still very achievable. — Joe Prince-Wright
Foxes need to finish for Ruud
Jamie Vardy and the Foxes fought hard for boss Ruud van Nistelrooy this weekend but all the fight in the world will mean nothing come May without goals. Jamie Vardy turned 38 last week and is now seven games without a goal while being asked to go 90 minutes more often than not and at times the 48-year-old Van Nistelrooy must be wondering if he could put in a few minutes and have a chance fall for him. Leicester have lost seven-straight and scored just two goals in that stretch, both away from home, and that’s just awful and potentially ruinous considering the state of their defense (a third-worst 48.01 xGA this season). Credit to Fulham, a solid side, but this game was there for the Foxes and they just kinda slunk away from the final ball. — Nick Mendola
Losses turned to draws and now wins for Crystal Palace
West Ham United 0-2 Crystal Palace
Palace’s form over the 2024-25 season really is incredible in that you can actually see the progression of Oliver Glasner’s side from the first eight games when they couldn’t do anything right (0W-3D-5L), to the next five when the narrow defeats turned into well-earned draws, and finally the last nine games when Mateta has put the team on his back with 5 goals in 9 games (5W-3D-1L). Palace have only conceded multiple goals two times (to Arsenal and Manchester City) during their current run, after doing so seven times in 13 to start the campaign. More of the same from Crystal Palace (27 points – 12th) as they chase an eighth straight mid-table finish. — Andy Edwards
