This season, it has been stated time and time again that Manchester United's defense is the genuine weak spot of an otherwise mediocre group.
At this point, who can blame David de Gea for dissecting the current status of the Manchester United squad after every game? De Gea has watched his back four breakdown in front of him week in and week out, and last Saturday's game against Everton was no exception.
As Anthony Gordon fired his strike towards David De Gea's goal, only Bruno Fernandes appeared to be aware to any sense of danger, which was surprising given the fact that the ball went past the Spaniard's goalkeeper. Even before he talked to the media, the 31-year-furious old's reaction on the field said it all: he was frustrated.
He said the following to BT Sport: "That is unacceptable because they played on Wednesday and were exhausted, yet they had more drive than we did, and that is unacceptable. It's heartbreaking to lose. It is a source of embarrassment for us. This is a game that we should be winning."
According to a recent study conducted by BetVictor, De Gea came in second place for the least amount of goals conceded when compared to what the statistics indicate. It is a positive reflection on De Gea, but it should be a source of embarrassment and disgrace for the entire United defense.
According to statistics analytics, United was anticipated to concede 49 goals so far this season. However, they have conceded 51 goals. As a point of comparison, this weekend's opponents Norwich City were anticipated to concede approximately 43 goals and are currently ranked last in the Premier League standings.
Opposition forwards are peppering De Gea's goal with worrying regularity, and it is simply unacceptably frequent. It's a miracle that there haven't been more goals scored. And, if nothing is done to address the difficulties that are immediately in front of De Gea, these numbers will only continue to worse with each passing season.
It was unfathomable how Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof failed to spot the danger on Saturday when the ball was laid back to Gordon on the edge of the box. It was unfortunate that the shot deflected off Maguire, but it would have been much more tolerable if Maguire had made a concerted effort to prevent the deflection.
Both individuals appeared to be frozen in place, a fitting metaphor for the weekly Groundhog Day that United supporters seem to be living through. The presence of Raphael Varane in the squad provides some solace for the supporters of the team.
United have only lost once in the Premier League when Varane and Maguire have played together, demonstrating that having a quality center back alongside the former Leicester City man could be the key to getting the best out of the current captain. This also highlights the fact that the club has to invest in more defenders in the vein of Varane.
When Varane is absent, it is crystal evident that Manchester United's defense suffers from a lack of composure. Currently, Maguire is unable to fill in for the Frenchman, thus the team's defense should be given first priority in terms of investment.
However, United's decision to go all out to sign a defensive midfielder is fine, but a single Kalvin Phillips will not be able to revive this club. To be competitive again, United must heed to the statistics and improve their defense, or else they may find themselves in a worse situation in the near future.
