Poor start to the season
Manchester United started off the 2020-21 season in the worst way possible, losing at home to Crystal Palace. The Red Devils were the favourites not just because of the opponents they were facing, but also because of the quality in their squad and the strong finish they had to the 2019-20 season.
Palace manager Roy Hodgson exposed United’s weaknesses on Saturday: lack of creativity in the final third against stubborn defences and a below-par backline that doesn’t like players running at them. Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof was at fault in varying degrees for all three of the goals conceded by the Red Devils, while captain Harry Maguire was also shoddy at the back.
The Sancho conundrum
Despite the frailties at the back, Manchester United’s prime target – and one of most talked about transfer sagas of the summer – has been Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho. Sancho has shown over the last few seasons that he is an elite-level player who could become one of the greats in the years to come. He is exactly the kind of player Manchester United need to create opportunities out of nothing with his individual skill.
But, Manchester United seem to be making the same mistake that they did in the past in the transfer market by prolonging transfer negotiations, and eventually paying a huge price for a player. The Sancho saga has agitated the Red Devils’ fanbase who feel that the club’s board is not doing enough in the transfer window to bridge the gap with Liverpool and Manchester City at the top. United should perhaps drop their interest in Sancho if they feel that Dortmund’s asking price is far too much, and instead target other players.
Also Read: Sancho Alternatives Linked With Manchester United & More
Act before it is too late
This means that United could strengthen other areas of the pitch which are currently weak, i.e. center-back, left-back, and right-wing. Dortmund have been stubborn and have said time and again that they will not go below the asking price, and with Jadon Sancho tied to a long-term contract, there’s no reason why they have to reduce their price for the young Englishman. The Red Devils need to bring in a few quality signings not just at the heart of the defence to replace Victor Lindelof, but also at left-back, where Luke Shaw has either been inconsistent and error-prone or injured.
Also Read: Manchester United Transfer News
The Manchester United defence has been vulnerable for quite a while now, and it’s time the management showed the exit door to the many central defenders they have and sign a high-quality centre-back to play alongside Harry Maguire. The window to be pro-active is already past and if United fail to react accordingly and show some intent in the remainder of the window, we might be looking at another long and inconsistent season ahead for the Red Devils.
