Manchester United head to the November international break with a 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur.
An injury to Benjamin Sesko forced United to play with 10 men in the last few minutes.
Just when it seemed they would leave empty-handed, Matthijs de Ligt rose like a warrior in stoppage time to nod home a dramatic equaliser.
However, there is no escaping the defensive concerns that continue to haunt Ruben Amorim’s side.
United have now conceded twice in each of their last three league outings, an alarming trend that demands urgent attention.
Brighton & Hove Albion netted twice from set pieces.
The first was a superb Danny Welbeck free-kick, which arguably should have been saved by goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
The second goal came from a well-worked corner routine, with United once again failing to defend the near post.
Defending corners has been a weakness for this United side, and every opponent tries to exploit it.
However, there is another tactical flaw emerging, and it is one Amorim cannot afford to overlook.
Nottingham Forest scored both of their goals in a similar manner.
They initiated the attack from United’s right before quickly shifting to the opposite side.
With the defence shifting from right to left, Forest floated a cross to the far post, catching everyone by surprise.
Tottenham executed a similar pattern at the weekend. The move began down United’s right side, with Destiny Udogie firing a low cross into the box for Mathys Tel.
Had Tel missed the ball, Brennan Johnson was waiting unmarked at the far post to exploit United’s shifting defensive shape.
This weakness also stems from Amorim’s tendency to drop his left-sided number 10 into midfield.
This tweak helped in blocking the central passing lanes but has exposed United’s vulnerability on the flanks.
The wing-backs must stay tighter to their markers and prevent them from delivering crosses.
The centre-backs need to maintain discipline and keep an eye on the far post instead of drifting too far toward the ball.
Only five teams have conceded more goals than United this season, and all five are currently fighting relegation.
Amorim has helped his side build chemistry in the final third, but he must now be smarter defensively.