How long can Man Utd's slump last?
“With bad results it is very difficult to sell an idea,” Ruben Amorim told Sky Sports before Manchester United's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle. “I was hired because of that idea. If you change your mind in these difficult moments, it means the end for any coach.” But clinging to that idea also brings problems.
Manchester United were a mess against Newcastle from the start. Some of it is due to players lacking confidence. The sad sight of Joshua Zirkzee being booed off the pitch before half-time was emblematic of a group of players who look unhappy in their jobs.
But a system should make their job easier, not harder, and no matter how you look at the quality of the squad Amorim has inherited, it's increasingly difficult to argue that this isn't at least part of the problem. Too many of them look uncomfortable in their roles.
Diogo Dalot was so high up the pitch for much of the match that it would have been more natural to have a left winger there rather than a former right back. When he got the ball he could only scoop it inside rather than provide any real width.
Noussair Mazraoui did a little better on the other flank and Matthijs de Ligt does not want to be dragged into the wide areas like Alexander Isak. Lisandro Martinez is one of the few who would suit this mold and he endured a miserable evening in red.
No doubt, Amorim would rather have gotten into this job last summer or next summer than be thrust into a jam-packed schedule and asked to solve problems on the fly. But the hope would have been that he could muddle through and build for next season.
That remains the hope, but it is certainly necessary for United to pick up the thread again or risk starting the rebuild behind, which is already being doubted before he has his first full season in charge. As he himself admits, there is an idea to sell – to the players, to the public and to his bosses.
Amorim doesn't need a trophy. A season outside Europe could even make things easier. There is no expectation of united fire. Just function. But a third Premier League defeat in a row, without scoring a goal, is unacceptable even at this low point. Adam Bate
Chelsea is getting better and really Delaped!
It takes something special to achieve a 10/10 in the Sky Sports Player Ratings.
Well, Liam Delap is something special.
Before the match, there were fears that kick-off would be delayed due to a road closure as the military investigated a possible unexploded shell close to the ground. That device turned out to be safe, but Delap was about to catch fire.
Delap's storm storm lit up Portman Road like a fireworks show on New Year's Eve. He was simply unplayable.
A one-man wrecking ball who smashes his way through the Chelsea defense and wins his own penalty, which he of course sends away before bringing on Omari Hutchinson to really spice up the result for the Chelsea fans. He's one of them they let go in the summer.
When Ipswich found themselves defending their penalty area under immense pressure from Chelsea, Delap's ability to burst onto the pitch with the ball was invaluable. Kieran McKenna gave him the standing ovation his performance deserved by taking him off the pitch in stoppage time. A legend was truly born. And Ipswich now have real hope of survival with a player with this potential in their ranks: Lewis Jones
Chelsea's B-team members fail the A-team audition
Forced by a hectic festive schedule, Enzo Maresca made five changes to the side that suffered defeat at Fulham on Boxing Day.
Filip Jorgensen, Axel Disasi, Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku were among those brought on by Maresca to avoid a second successive defeat.
Jorgensen found himself on the wrong end of the drama with just ten minutes on the clock when he was judged to have punched Liam Delap in the penalty area.
Despite a strong performance afterwards, Chelsea were chasing the match after the penalty. Disasi gifted Ipswich their second goal, five days after Christmas, with a lax back pass into the path of Delap who denied Omari Hutchinson.
Joao Felix, who had a goal disallowed for offside, could not be relied on to find the equalizer as he was sent off just seconds after Ipswich's second goal. Christopher Nkunku struggled to replicate his form in the cup competitions, missing a great chance to equalize and losing six games in an otherwise anonymous display up front.
Before the start of the season, there was a lot of talk about Maresca's large selection, but halfway through it is already clear who Maresca thinks they can rely on. The defeat at Ipswich wouldn't have done enough to change minds. William Bitibiri
Villa falls short, but Watkins' effort claims to start
Regardless of the late equalizer, Watkins staked his claim for the starting striker role against Brighton.
The England international returned to Villa's starting line-up for the first time in three Premier League games following Jhon Duran's suspension and made it count.
He had scored more goals against Brighton than any other team in the build-up to this match and took that tally to seven with his first-half penalty.
Last season's Playmaker of the Season award winner also had these references on full display shortly after the restart with Rogers' assist.
Celebrating his 29th birthday that day, Watkins got the perfect gift to potentially win his starting spot in the lineup with this performance, but it will be somewhat marred by the late chances he was unable to convert.
Villa have two top-level strikers competing for the role and appear to be getting the best out of both of them when they are on the pitch.Pat Rowe
Seagulls stagnate in European bid under Hurzeler
Brighton's promising start under Fabian Hurzeler has faded and their hopes of European qualification will depend on turning draws into wins.
Their point at Aston Villa means they have failed to win any of their last seven league games for the first time since April 2022 under Graham Potter.
Fulham is the only team to drop more points (19) this season due to winning positions than Brighton. Hurzeler's squad is littered with exciting young players, but their style, especially at home, is ponderous. Five draws at the Amex – nine in total – are not good enough for a team with so much talent.
What's more worrying is that Brighton's winless run hasn't come to fruition against any of the top teams. They have failed to beat Aston Villa, Brentford, West Ham, Crystal Palace, Leicester, Fulham and Southampton.
After spending almost £200 million in the summer, pressure is mounting on Hurzeler to improve in the second half of the season. He should stop worrying about the referees' performance after picking up his fourth yellow card and concentrate on living up to expectations.David Richardson
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