Shocking Red Card Record Exposes Man Utd's Discipline Crisis Following Everton Loss
Ruben Amorim continues to set unwanted milestones during his tenure as Manchester United's head coach.
Opta statistics revealed that Man Utd's defeat against 10-man Everton represented their first Premier League loss when facing a team reduced to ten players. Previously, they had maintained an undefeated record across 46 such encounters, securing victory in 36 of those matches.
The Red Devils hosted Everton at Old Trafford on the anniversary of Amorim's appointment, hoping to stretch their current unbeaten streak to six matches, and received an unexpected advantage when Idrissa Gueye was dismissed just 13 minutes into the match.
The Toffees' midfielder became the first player dismissed for an altercation with a teammate in Premier League history since Stoke City's Ricardo Fuller in December 2008. Following a wayward Gueye pass that enabled Bruno Fernandes to intercept and fire wide, the Senegalese player confronted defender Michael Keane verbally before striking the English defender.
Though it was merely a light blow, referee Tony Harrington still showed Gueye a red card, with the midfielder later issuing apologies to both Keane and Everton fans through an Instagram statement after the match.
Man Utd Outcome Could Prove Significant Before December Fixtures
Considering Monday's match circumstances, a commanding victory might have lifted the Red Devils into the top four positions. Instead, they remain in tenth place with 18 points from 12 matches.
The opportunity was there for Man Utd to capitalize after a sluggish opening, but it was the away team who struck first through an impressive Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall strike just before the 30-minute mark.
Amorim's team labored unsuccessfully, unable to capitalize on their numerical superiority by keeping three center-backs deployed throughout the match. They eventually resorted to aerial attacks against Everton's imposing defensive line, sending 38 crosses into the penalty area, but the visitors remained resolute. Jordan Pickford's six stops, including several spectacular saves, helped the Toffees secure only their third Premier League victory at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese manager had briefly avoided criticism before the November international break, but attention will once again focus on the Portuguese tactician following Everton's memorable victory. Amorim has now suffered more Premier League defeats as Man Utd manager than José Mourinho did in 54 fewer games.
His success rate of 30.8% stands as the poorest among Man Utd coaches in the competition's era.
Although their forthcoming fixtures appear manageable, Amorim's team are unlikely to make any opponent look straightforward. A visit to Crystal Palace awaits this weekend before they encounter 17th-placed West Ham United and league-bottom Wolverhampton Wanderers in consecutive matches.