Three factors behind Manchester United’s recent poor run of form

Add as preferred source on Google

Defensive lapses

In the past three games, United have conceded six times, compared to just once in the previous three. With new signing Eric Bailly’s performances suggesting he could be the perfect partner for Chris Smalling this season, Mourinho appeared to have one of the Premier League’s tightest defences at his disposal. Against Watford, they looked anything but, as Troy Deeney proved to be a constant menace to the United back-line.

Embed from Getty Images

Smalling made his first league start of the season on Sunday but looked off the pace on a number of occasions. This uncertainty seemed to transfer to his defensive partner Bailly, one of United’s stand-out performers under Mourinho, but whose attempts to tackle Isaac Success leading up to Watford’s third goal wouldn’t have looked out of place in a park on a Sunday morning.

To put it simply, United have been far too easy to break down over the last three games. Both Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho’s goals in the Manchester derby were easily preventable, but lapses in concentration cost them on both occasions. As a manager famed for the solidity of his defences, Mourinho is unlikely to stand for it much longer and there will surely have to be an improvement in the coming weeks if United are to avoid similar embarrassing defeats.

Featured image: all rights reserved by Serg Hoholok