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Five Key Takeaways from the Premier League Weekend: Ruben Amorim’s Herculean Rebuild and Crystal Palace Defenders in Demand
Is Ruben Amorim Facing an Impossible Task at Manchester United?
Before the season began, there was genuine optimism that new ownership and signings could propel Manchester United back into the top four. However, the Red Devils now find themselves further behind England’s elite clubs than at any point in the Premier League era. Erik ten Hag’s successor, Ruben Amorim, has struggled to extract a coherent performance from a squad ill-suited to his methods. United were fortunate to escape defeat at Everton, and the new manager has just four wins from 15 league games.
Amorim had hoped to remain at Sporting Lisbon until the summer, but Manchester United’s now-or-never approach forced his hand. The result has been some painful viewing for United fans. The sole bright spot from the draw at Everton was the encouraging display of Amorim’s sole senior signing, Patrick Dorgu. The Portuguese tactician needs more reinforcements to implement his complex and unfamiliar system. Unfortunately, a lack of funds for a monumental rebuild at Old Trafford suggests this won’t be a quick fix, no matter how much cost-cutting is undertaken by prospective owner Jim Ratcliffe.
The Rashford Resurgence: Encouraging Signs
Deemed unsuitable for the demands of the new regime, Marcus Rashford was ushered out the door at Manchester United last month. However, his decline in form and application had been problematic. Since his move to Aston Villa, there have been encouraging signs of a Rashford renaissance.
Rashford came off the bench to assist both goals as Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 at Villa Park. This followed another impressive cameo against Ipswich last weekend. Since joining Villa, the 27-year-old leads all Premier League players for big chances created (4), is joint-leader for successful dribbles (15), and has registered 2 assists. The comeback is very much on.
The Growing Divide Between Premier League and Championship
For the second successive season, it appears all three promoted teams are heading straight back down to the Championship. Each had winnable-looking home fixtures this weekend and each lost, conceding four goals in the process. Southampton are rooted to the bottom with just 9 points and, after 26 games, are yet to eclipse Derby County’s infamous record low of 11 points.
Leicester, meanwhile, have lost 11 of their 15 games since replacing Steve Cooper with Ruud van Nistelrooy. Ipswich, in 18th, have not won a Premier League game in 2025. This represents a concerning trend, as just once before last season had all three promoted teams gone straight back down. The growing quality gap between the Premier League and Championship is a real worry, with the top three teams in the second tier all having spent time in the top flight in the last two seasons, disrupting the competitiveness of the division. More needs to be done to avoid the Premier League becoming a closed shop.
Crystal Palace Defenders in High Demand
Crystal Palace have managed to retain the services of Marc Guehi in the last two transfer windows, turning down huge offers from Newcastle and Tottenham. Interest in the England international, whose contract will have just 12 months to run, is expected to ramp up again in the summer.
However, Guehi might not be the only Palace defender attracting attention. Daniel Munoz scored a superb goal in the win at Fulham and has been an irrepressible force at full-back this season. The Colombian, an £8m bargain from Genk, ranks in the top 6% of full-backs in Europe for non-penalty xG, attacking penalty area touches, tackles, and aerial duels won per 90. Elsewhere, Maxence Lacroix has been a huge hit since arriving as an £18m replacement for Joachim Andersen, impressing with 12 clearances and a 100% success rate in defensive duels (7/7) at Fulham.
The Contrasting Fortunes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jeremy Doku
One of the defining moments of Manchester City’s clash with Liverpool came down the flanks. Trent Alexander-Arnold will be glad he does not have to face Jeremy Doku again this season, after struggling to deal with the Belgian winger’s electrifying pace. Alexander-Arnold’s defending has long been a talking point, and the ease with which Doku skipped past him was a concern, with the youngster dribbling past the Liverpool full-back 11 times in the game – the most a player has been beaten by an opponent in a Premier League match since 2016/17.
Doku’s change of gear from a standing start makes him almost unstoppable, but the winger was unable to translate his promising positions into end product. This has been a common theme during his time at Manchester City, with refinement in the final third still required. Meanwhile, Alexander-Arnold showcased his immense value, with an exquisite cutting pass to release Mohamed Salah for the second goal, and another audacious outside-of-the-boot ball to the Egyptian. His passing range is phenomenal, and Liverpool are more than happy to accept his defensive flaws in exchange.
Conclusion:
The Premier League weekend provided several thought-provoking narratives, from the daunting task facing Ruben Amorim at Manchester United to the growing disparity between the top flight and the Championship. The resurgence of Marcus Rashford at Aston Villa and the emerging defensive talents at Crystal Palace also caught the eye, while the contrasting fortunes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jeremy Doku highlighted the nuances of top-level football. As the season progresses, these storylines will continue to captivate and shape the landscape of the Premier League.
