Manchester United are unbeaten in four games in the Premier League. Anfield has been conquered since Ruben Amorim last tasted defeat, and the thrilling victory over Brighton at Old Trafford was goal-heavy.
The first small step in a long and arduous journey towards the future is here, and as that provocative thought dances in the back of fans’ minds, we inevitably return to the past.
That’s because it’s been a long time since the Red Devils held a steady lead, fighting for the biggest title every year. Sir Alex Ferguson has never celebrated a Premier League or Champions League title from the stands.
If Amorim wants to lead United to such elusive glory, he will need more than just a string of good results to his name. He will need to reincorporate Fergie’s sentiments into the club’s DNA.
Curiously, there are signs that this is happening, with a number of United’s stars showing elements of a bygone era in recent weeks.
Fergie-esque Manchester United star
Locally, Amad Diallo will believe he deserves a spot in Ferguson’s former team. After all, the Ivorian international seems to have a penchant for scoring late goals.
In fact, all 10 of Amad’s Premier League goals came in the second half.
But he’s not alone in this regard. The front line has been a battleground for the Theater of Dreams in recent years, particularly since Amorim’s arrival and the ouster of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho.
Matheus Cunha looks a step up, and while the Brazilian is yet to find his Midas touch in front of goal, his quality is undeniable, with writer Wayne Burton claiming he has “the potential to be an all-time player” and that his talent could make him “the best player since Fergie retired”.
It’s a lofty compliment, but it definitely wears the ring of truth. This suggests there is a silver lining at Old Trafford. Brian Mbeumo looks like a star, but considering he cites Cristiano Ronaldo as one of his biggest influences, we can see him succeeding in the long run. The Cameroonian plays with the same kind of power that CR7 once had under Fergie’s tutelage.
However, United still need further improvement and wing-back Diogo Dalot’s current struggles highlight the need for new talent in the side to realize Amorim’s lofty ambitions.
Gary Neville once stood at the top of the elite group. Hugely underrated today, the retired Three Lions star is one of the greatest full-backs of his generation.
Dalot, 26, doesn’t seem set to make it after arriving from Porto with such promise as a teenager.
But he’s not the only one. This is a recurring problem and reminds me of when Sir Alex felt he had acquired the next version of Neville, only for this player to miss the kick-on.
Fergie’s failure billed as the next Neville
Fergie’s time at Manchester United was defined by meteoric heights. On the transfer front, the Red Devils dominated the English game, but several potential stars fell through the cracks.
One of them would be Rafael da Silva. He spent seven seasons at Old Trafford after graduating from the Carrington ranks, but perhaps never reached the potential the manager saw in him.
A time when Rafael was considered a potential superstar. He and his twin brother Fabio were snapped up by Brazilian club Fluminense in February 2007 and made 170 appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals and providing 14 assists.
Rafael’s time at the club could hardly be defined as a failure, but perhaps he was more of a bit player than a cog in the machine.
Rafael’s Premier League career with Manchester United | ||
|---|---|---|
season | app | minutes |
14/15 | 10 | 590 minutes |
13/14 | 19 | 1,418′ |
12/13 | 28 | 2,317′ |
11/12 | 12 | 914′ |
10/11 | 16 | 1,201′ |
09/10 | 8 | 682 minutes |
08/09 | 16 | 1,055′ |
Dates via Transfermarkt | ||
He may have won three Premier League titles, but Ferguson believed he was destined for greatness. “Rafael will eventually be compared to Gary Neville,” the retired manager said in 2012.
In the end it didn’t happen. Rafael had a conflict with the Dutch manager under Louis van Gaal, which was preceded by some controversial career events and an injury that led to his departure after the former manager’s predictions did not turn out to be true.
While he will no doubt be fondly remembered and even considered something of a cult hero among some supporters, Rafael was full of talent and there was a real chance he could fill the void left by Neville’s retirement.
His fearlessness and tenacity, coupled with his burning desire to make things happen and thrill audiences, instantly captivated the Manchester crowd. That may be why we now look back with regret at Rafael’s disappointing performance at the club, which saw him move to Lyon in France for a modest fee of £2.5m in 2015.
In any case, it’s interesting to say that his robust and dynamic profile fits well into the current Amorim-led system, but this only highlights the need for someone like Neville to ensure this new chapter of the club continues to move forward after such endless turmoil.
Because, sadly, it feels like Dalot has gone down a similar path, with content creator Liam Canning recently saying that the Portugal international “doesn’t look suited for a wing-back role” and is “worrying for the long term”.
Neville may be modest about his abilities as a Premier League footballer, but it will take time to knock him down from his all-time player pedestal.
