Manchester United continued their disappointing start to their 2025-26 Premier League campaign on Sunday afternoon when they drew 1-1 with Fulham at Craven Cottage.
The Red Devils took the lead just before the hour mark thanks to an own goal from Rodrigo Muniz, before Emile Smith Rowe netted an equaliser 15 minutes later.
That stalemate followed on from a 1-0 Old Trafford defeat at the hands of title hopefuls, Arsenal, and has left Ruben Amorim's side 16th in the table.
United look to have made improvements in the summer after signing the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, but the results are yet to be borne out in reality, and the club's dire form from 2024-25 has continued into the new term so far.
That being said, there have been some promising moments during their opening performances, and more arrivals are expected before the transfer window shuts.
Here, Sports Mole examines Man United's start to the Premier League season and how they might yet improve.
Ruben Amorim, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha of Manchester United talking on August 9, 2025
Manchester United's Mbeumo, Cunha and Sesko are promising but unproductive so far
Amorim has overseen an overhaul of Erik Ten Hag's frontline during his short tenure at Old Trafford, bringing in three starting forwards this summer alone.
Mbeumo was undoubtedly the best player in Thomas Frank's exciting Brentford team, while Cunha was the main man responsible for keeping Wolverhampton Wanderers afloat under both Gary O'Neil and Vitor Pereira last season.
At centre-forward, 22-year-old Benjamin Sesko made the switch from RB Leipzig, and the Slovenian striker is one of the most highly-regarded prospects around.
All three of these new stars played against Arsenal on matchday one, with Sesko making a substitute appearance, and they managed to significantly outperform Mikel Arteta's men in terms of creating open-play chances.
Excluding set-pieces, United's new-look attack generated 1.29 expected goals compared to the Gunners' 0.28 xG, as well as registering 22 total shots - nine of which were on target - compared to the Londoners' nine efforts and three on target.
However, while the Red Devils were noticeably more dangerous than in the past against the top flight's least-porous defence, they failed to find the back of the net and walked away disappointed.
Similarly, Amorim's side produced 1.63 xG against Fulham and forced three saves from Bernd Leno in the process, but they failed to directly score a goal of their own given that their opener was in fact self inflicted by the Cottagers.
This means that United's players have not scored a Premier League goal so far in 2025-26, despite an outlay that could rise to £207.2m for three star forwards.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim thoughtful on the bench on August 24, 2025
Amorim's United are playing better but getting the same poor results
Man United shockingly finished 15th in the league last season, and capped off their worst-ever campaign by losing the Europa League final to fellow underachievers Tottenham Hotspur.
This time around the team are performing better but they are still achieving the same results, with the 20-time champions currently languishing near the relegation zone, level on points with 18th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.
After the draw with Fulham, Amorim stated that his team need to 'grow up', claiming that the players tried to hold onto their one-goal lead rather than pressing their advantage, a mentality shift that he felt stifled their positive momentum.
Regardless, the raw totals show that the Red Devils have accrued just six Premier League points since the start of April, a dire figure that is even bettered by relegated Leicester City, who picked up eight despite now playing in the Championship.
OptaJoe's numbers also have Amorim at a win rate of just 24.1% across his 29 games in charge, an identical percentage to that of twice-relegated Neil Warnock.
Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir on August 9, 2025
How can Man United improve? Balancing the midfield, goalkeeper stability
In the wake of Jurgen Klopp's success with Liverpool, football fans regularly point to his example when claiming that managers need to be given more time or a chance to turn things around.
The comparison generally stems from the fact that the Reds were not instantly transformed into a title-winning force by the German manager, but that he instead took a number of seasons before winning his first trophy with the club.
While Amorim's case varies significantly given both the amount of spending that the former Sporting Lisbon man has done as well as the poor start that he made, there is obvious potential for growth this term.
United are unlikely to be competing for the title this season, or even a spot in the top four, but a European place is not out of their reach if they can address some of their more glaring issues.
For instance, the club are said to be closing in on the signing of Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens for approximately £17.3m, and the 23-year-old shot-stopper was even left out of Royal Antwerp's 2-1 win over Mechelen on Sunday.
The new man could bring stability and confidence to the United backline by replacing Altay Bayindir, who has started both league games this term, and potentially Andre Onana, who missed pre-season with an injury, after a series of errors and questionable moments in recent months.
Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro of Manchester United on August 24, 2025
The manager also has a dilemma to solve in the centre of the park, where he opted to start a double pivot of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes against Arsenal and Fulham.
The deeper midfield roles in Amorim's system demand that players cover significant distances with speed, and given the former Real Madrid star's declining physicality, it would be fair to say that he could be upgraded upon.
Brighton's Carlos Baleba has been linked with a move to Old Trafford, and while his price tag north of £100m is considered prohibitive, the Red Devils could look to bring in an alternative before the transfer deadline.
Captain Fernandes has been the subject of interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League, and some reports suggest that the hierarchy at United would not stand in his way if a nine-figure fee could be achieved.
The Portuguese talisman is one of the Premier League's best midfielders, but given that he is not suited to the defensive demands that he is currently tasked with, and that he does not have the pace to operate in the forward line, a big-money departure could free up the funds to sign a suitable replacement to balance the centre of the team.
Up next for United is an EFL Cup clash against League Two Grimsby Town on Wednesday, before Burnley travel to Old Trafford for more Premier League action on Saturday, and anything less than back-to-back victories this week will be seen as a failure.
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