Manchester United have already spent more time in winning positions across the 11 Premier League games of this season than they managed throughout the 27 top-flight matches Ruben Amorim oversaw in 2024–25.
The Portuguese boss may be at pains to point out the many flaws which still exist in his side, who head into November’s international break in seventh place, but there are undoubtedly some signs of green shoots amid the doom-mongering.
The Red Devils have spent more than 496 minutes leading the opposition this season, 45% of their total time on the pitch in 2025–26, per Opta.
For comparison, Manchester City are the only team to have enjoyed longer in the ascendancy of matches this term. Even league-leading Arsenal haven’t spent as much time on top—although they have found a way to end eight games in front, while United only boast five wins.
Stats via Opta. Correct as of Nov. 12, 2025.
United have dropped six points from winning positions this season, fumbling a lead against Fulham on the second weekend of the season before repeating a bizarre sequence in consecutive matches over the first two weeks of November. Against both Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, United conspired to score the opener and fall behind, only to rescue a 2–2 draw.
Amorim wrote off the blunder against Forest as five minutes of madness but had a more worrying explanation for the slip-up in north London. Across his interviews with multiple media outlets and the subsequent press conference, the Portuguese coach repeatedly cited the enforced substitutions of Casemiro and Harry Maguire as the point of decline for United.
The experienced duo were both forced off with injuries in the 72nd minute, a point at which United were 1–0 up and largely in control while Spurs failed to break down their low block. With Matthijs de Ligt failing to offer Maguire’s assurance in a central role and Manuel Ugarte floundering in Casemiro’s absence in midfield, the visitors promptly conceded twice.
As Amorim was keen to point out, United came back to score in both those fixtures, a sign of their increased effectiveness going forward this season.
Man Utd’s Attacking Improvement Under Amorim
Stats via FBref. Correct as of Nov. 12, 2025.
It turns out that £200 million ($262.5 million) on a new frontline can help. Bryan Mbeumo has been the standout summer recruit, already racking up more goals (five) than either Rasmus Højlund (four) or Joshua Zirkzee (three) could muster last season.
Matheus Cunha’s output has been less obvious—he only scored his first goal for the club at the end of October—but the roving forward’s energy on and off the ball has been crucial to inspiring a team-wide improvement going forward.
United are scoring more goals and creating more chances with two of last season’s standout performers in the Premier League now installed into their frontline. Rather than taking far more shots, the quality of the opportunities carved apart by the new-look attack has noticeably improved.
This is undoubtedly a consequence of improved individual quality, but United’s ability to set Cunha and particularly Mbeumo up in promising scenarios is key—Amorim’s side use long switches of play more frequently than any other team in the Premier League’s top flight, flinging the ball from one side of the pitch to the other to present their forward’s with possession while the opposition is still reshuffling into shape.
There is work to do defensively—United’s improved output going forward has coincided with more chances for their opponents—and the reliance upon Casemiro and Maguire, two senior players who are both set to be out of contract this summer, must be a concern. Yet, one year in to Amorim’s divisive tenure, there are finally some positives to savour.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shocking Man Utd Stat Shines Light on Ruben Amorim Transformation.
