The ailing Casemiro's deficiencies mean that Bruno Fernandes is forced to sit deeper, blunting the Red Devils’ creativity
The sample is yet small, just one game, and while the improvements were clear, so too was the result: another home defeat for Manchester United under Ruben Amorim without a goal scored.
The optimists see hope in the way that Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo ran hard at the Arsenal defence, all pace and aggressive intent.
Both are proven Premier League performers and will contribute in a red shirt as they did at Wolves and Brentford respectively.
"The most important thing – we were not boring!"
Ruben Amorim assesses what his Manchester United side did well against Arsenal 🔎 pic.twitter.com/IjsNil01Sr
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 17, 2025
Yet for all that, United were beaten in an achingly familiar way, unable to defend a set-piece, and thereafter unable to penetrate a well organised opponent.
Yes Arsenal fell into a panicky rearguard towards the end, but when the game was still open, Martin Odegaard raced through United’s gaping centre at will, with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes ill-equipped to halt the counter.
United were fortunate that an overstated Viktor Gyokeres, a blunt Gabriel Martinelli and a muted Bukayo Saka were on the end of his passes.
We can allow Amorim his upbeat analysis: after all, Arsenal are a fully evolved, top-four outfit, and United were never adrift as they were last term.
You do, however, worry for Amorim should United not make the most of fixtures against Fulham and Burnley before August is out.
Radamel Falcao of Manchester United (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)
Radamel Falcao was one of several big names who flattered to deceive at United (Photo: Getty)
Fulham had the better of Brighton despite needing a late equaliser at the Amex, and though Burnley fell heavily to Tottenham, visiting Old Trafford is always a reason to come to the party.
United are of course still picking up the tab for a short-term recruitment policy that in the post-Fergie apocalypse lumbered them with marquee names past their peaks.
Casemiro is the last in a long line of big-brand duds that began with Radamel Falcao, who spent a season on loan from Monaco, scoring four times in 29 games.
The pattern continued with the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, Raphael Varane and the ill-fated return of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Though the emphasis subsequently shifted to younger legs, Amorim was left to sift through the wreckage of Jadon Sancho, Antony, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 16: Tijjani Reijnders of Manchester City celebrates scoring his sides second goal during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City at Molineux on August 16, 2025 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Ruben Amorim may be casting envious glances at Tijjani Reijnders after his superb debut (Photo: Getty)
While it is clear that Amorim has identified the most pressing problems, including goalkeeper, the issue at the heart of midfield remains, and explains the urgency with which United have been flirting with Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton.
For all their investment in striking upgrades, United cannot hope to push the top four aside with Casemiro at the centre of things.
Not only does Casemiro fail on his own terms, he forces upon United a solution that sacrifices their most inventive presence.
Bruno Fernandes has neither the stamina nor positional discipline to run the game from deep midfield.
How Amorim must look across town and drool at the impact made by Tijjani Reijnders at Manchester City, delivering for Pep Guardiola a goal and an assist in a performance that felt like Kevin De Bruyne 2.0 at Molineux.
Reijnders, a £46.5m snip from AC Milan, was voted the midfielder of the season in Serie A last term and might be even more dynamic than the departed De Bruyne, his pace and dancing feet all over City’s emphatic romp at Wolves.
Amorim, desperate to leave behind the sense of despair and negative associations with last season, was left to talk up United’s performance as if a substantial leap had been made in losing narrowly to a proven contender.
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He may be right, but not all are convinced. Typically Roy Keane led the revolt, rightly calling out a record that reached 15 defeats in 28 Premier League games with only seven victories during the Portuguese’s tenure to date.
“I’m hearing noises about being proud about the performance, but they’ve lost the game,” Keane said.
“Talk about not being boring [Amorim]: you’ve got to score otherwise you’re constantly under pressure.
“Bruno came out and said about the fans [praise], but that means little to me. I think the expectation is that low, everyone is almost happy about that.”
United probably sit somewhere between Amorim’s rousing assessment and Keane’s damning pessimism.
Until an unproductive midfield characterised by Casemiro’s epic limitations – and the goalkeeping mess – are resolved, third gear might be as good as it gets.