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It comes as to no surprise that England is the most represented nation in the Premier League by a considerable distance, with France, Scotland, Ireland, and Spain trailing far behind. But what about the smaller nations, or more specifically, the nations with only one representative to have made at least one appearance in the top tier of English football? For clarity, I will not be covering players who swapped their national allegiance midway through their careers, such as Spanish-born, former Swansea defender Jordi Amat, who represented his birth country at youth level but - courtesy of his maternal grandmother's ancestry - switched to Indonesia in 2022. Tanzania - Mbwana Samatta Widely regarded as Tanzania's most famous and accomplished footballer, it comes as to no surprise that Mbwana Samatta has made history more than once. While plying his trade for KRC Genk of Belgium, the striker became the first Tanzanian to play and score in the UEFA Champions League, opening his account in 2019 with a diving header against Red Bull Salzburg. He was also the first Tanzanian to win the Belgian Pro League with Genk. Joining Aston Villa in January 2020, Samatta made history a few weeks later; on 1 February, he became the first Tanzanian to play - and subsequently score - in the Premier League, opening his account against Bournemouth. Ultimately, that was as good as it got for the striker - he made a total of 14 appearance, scoring once, before moving to Turkey's Fenerbahce. The 33 year-old is currently turning out for Le Havre in Ligue 1 - also making him the first Tanzanian to play and score in France's top league. Iraq - Ali Al-Hamadi Technically, Iraqi striker Al-Hamadi isn't the first from his nation to be on the books of a Premier League club. Yaser Kasim spent time in the youth academies of London-based clubs Fulham and Tottenham, while Zidane Iqbal (probably the more well-known name on this list) came through Manchester United's academy and, while he signed a professional contract and was included in the club's Premier League squad lists, he ultimately did not make a single league appearance (although he did turn out in the UCL for them, making him the first Iraqi to officially represent the Red Devils on the pitch). But, in Ali Al-Hamadi's case, he was the first Iraqi to ply his trade in the Premier League, turning out for newly-promoted side Ipswich Town in the 24/25 season. Ultimately, he failed to find the net and saw his appearances limited to late substitutions (11 appearances, 123 minutes) as both player and club suffered relegation. Time is still on his side, though - he is still only 24, still on the books of The Tractors Boys, and may have a chance to finally find the net and make history again (Ipswich Town finished 2nd in the 25/26 Championship season, winning automatic promotion to the big leagues once again). Oman - Ali Al-Habsi Now here's a name that fans who were watching the Premier League during the late 2000s and early 2010s will definitely know. Ali Al-Habsi was actually on the books of Bolton Wanderers for five years, but was limited to just 10 appearances as he failed to displace the long-serving Jussi Jaaskelainen. It took a season-long loan to Wigan Athletic in 2010 for Premier League supporters to finally get to see him in action as an established number one. And his performances were impressive enough for the Latics to tie him down to a permanent deal. He suffered both heartbreak and glory in 2013, with Wigan relegated to the Championship but also winning the FA Cup, beating Manchester City at Wembley thanks to Ben Watson's stoppage time header that sent Dave Whelan and the travelling Wigan supporters into delirium. After leaving Wigan in 2015, Al-Habsi turned out for several other English clubs (Brighton, Reading, and West Brom) before hanging up his gloves in 2020. ~ Fremont (Images from AVillaFan, BBC, Twitter, and Wallpaper Cave)

It comes as to no surprise that England is the most represented nation in the Premier League by a considerable distance, with France, Scotland, Ireland, and Spain trailing far behind. But what about the smaller nations, or more specifically, the nations with only one representative to have made at least one appearance in the top tier of English football? For clarity, I will not be covering players who swapped their national allegiance midway through their careers, such as Spanish-born, former Swansea defender Jordi Amat, who represented his birth country at youth level but - courtesy of his maternal grandmother's ancestry - switched to Indonesia in 2022. Armenia - Henrikh Mkhitaryan One of the more famous players on this list, "Micki" was born when his home country was still a part of the Soviet Union. Rising through the ranks of Pyunik, he made his professional debut at the Armenian-based club in 2006. He moved to Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010 before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2013, where he was an integral part of the team under Jurgen Klopp. A £30m move to English giants Manchester United in 2016 brought about three trophies in his first season, but he left midway through his second in a swap-deal (which saw Alexis Sanchez going the other way) in January 2018. Post-Manchester, he also represented Roma and Inter Milan, where he still plays. United supporters will always remember him for his scorpion kick goal against Sunderland. Kenya - Victor Wanyama Premier League supporters will definitely be familiar with Victor Wanyama, but before making his way over to the big leagues, he made a name for himself with two seasons at Celtic, where he became the first-ever Kenyan player to score in the UEFA Champions League in a 2-1 win over Barcelona in 2012. Wanyama moved to Southampton in 2013 and subsequently, Tottenham Hotspur in 2016. Ultimately, he spent seven years in the Premier League, before moving to Montreal Impact and back to Scotland, where he retired in 2025. Faroe Islands - Gunnar Nielsen Torshavn-born Gunnar Nielsen made headlines in 2010 when he appeared for Manchester City as a 76th-minute substitute (against Arsenal) after first-choice goalkeeper Shay Given picked up an injury. Ultimately, that was the Faroese's only appearance in the Premier League. Following two loan spells at Wrexham and Tranmere Rovers, Nielsen left the Citizens in 2012, before turning out in countries such as Denmark, Scotland, and Iceland, where he spent eight years and made 140 appearances before retiring in 2023. ~ Fremont (Images from Wikipedia, Wallpaper Cave)

Welcome back to Part Four of this series, where I'll be taking you back to Premier League goals of yesteryear that I believe deserve a lot more attention than they ever got. From fleet-footed trickery ending in the ripple of the net, long-range rockets that zip past stunned goalkeepers, or audacious attempts that leave the crowd with agape mouths, sit back and relax as I take you on a trip down memory lane. 1) Paul Konchesky vs West Ham, 2008/09 What is it with left-backs and thunderbolts? In the previous parts of this series, we saw incredible efforts from the likes of Erik Edman and Charlie Daniels. And now, we're shifting our focus to Paul Konchesky. The marauding fullback turned out for Premier League clubs such as Charlton Athletic, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Fulham, Leicester City, as well as half a season with Liverpool during Roy Hodgson's ill-fated tenure. And while goals were a rarity in his game, two of his total of 14 professional career efforts will be fondly remembered. One was a cross-shot in the 2006 FA Cup final for West Ham against Liverpool, his future employers, and one was a long range bullet for Fulham against West Ham, his previous employers. Unfortunately, this came in a 3-1 away loss at Upton Park. It did win the Premier League's Goal of the Month award for January 2009 though. 2) Keith Gillespie vs Charlton Athletic, 2006/07 Hardcore followers of English football may well remember Keith Gillespie for other reasons. The Northern Irish winger who came through the Manchester United academy holds the unfortunate record of the fastest red card in Premier League history, having been sent off just 12 seconds after coming on for an elbow on Reading's Stephen Hunt. Technically, with play yet to be restarted between his introduction and dismissal, you could count this as 0 active seconds. But Gillespie also etched himself into Premier League folklore, with his stunning 25-yard volley a part of the Goal of the Month catalogue for December 2006, which saw so many brilliant efforts that it might seem impossible to pick a winner. And one of those efforts was Paul Scholes' smashing volley against Aston Villa, which ended up winning the 2006/07 Premier League Goal of the Season, which further proves my point. I couldn't find a video of the goal itself, so I decided to attach the whole December 2006 Goal of the Month candidates. Gillespie's effort is the first, so you won't have to wait long. But honestly? Do yourself a favour and sit through the whole thing. This is truly Barclays football at its finest. 3) Ricardo Fuller vs Aston Villa, 2008/09 The last time Stoke City played top flight football was in 1985, when Mikhail Gorbachev was the newly appointed leader of the now-dissolved Soviet Union. The 2008/09 season marked the Potters' foray back into the big leagues, and their brash and long-ball style of play were labelled by some as "anti-football", with Arsene Wenger probably its biggest critic. But the unfancied side managed to carve out some notable results (2-1 home win against Arsenal) and some wonderstrikes, one of which was by Jamaican Ricardo Fuller, Stoke City's main man up top and their top scorer for that season. Though not a long range thunderbolt or an audacious volley, just watch the way Fuller flicks the ball without breaking stride, bamboozling the Villa defender. Fret not, there will be many more to come in the near future. I have compiled a list (mostly from memory, some by watching older match highlights in my free time) of goals I think deserve more attention than they have gotten. ~ Fremont (Image from Urban Pitch)

Welcome back to Part Three of this series, where I'll be taking you back to Premier League goals of yesteryear that I believe deserve a lot more attention than they ever got. From fleet-footed trickery ending in the ripple of the net, long-range rockets that zip past stunned goalkeepers, or audacious attempts that leave the crowd with agape mouths, sit back and relax as I take you on a trip down memory lane. 1) Charlie Daniels vs Manchester City, 2017/18 AFC Bournemouth made their maiden Premier League debut with promotion from the Championship in 2015 with a team of relative unknowns (at the time), experienced stalwarts, and a handful of top flight regulars. There was the all-English centre-back pairing of Simon Francis and Steve Cook, the eccentric and no-nonsense Artur Boruc (who saved two penalties for Celtic against Spartak Moscow in Europe), and the evergreen Frenchman Sylvain Distin, who brought 14 years of Premier League experience with spells at Newcastle United, Manchester City, Portsmouth, and Everton. But one of the most memorable top flight moments by a Cherries player may well be from their long serving left-back, Charlie Daniels. The long-serving fullback made 249 appearances and scored 16 times for the Dorset-based club, with one of those goals cementing itself into Premier League folklore. Just look at the way he struck this ball. The timing, the calculation, the way he let it drop before unleashing a left-footed thunderbolt that sent the Dean Court faithful into rapturous celebration. And of course, Daniels' effort won him the Premier League Goal of the Month for August 2017. 2) Robbie Keane vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2011/12 Known for his eight-year stint with Tottenham Hotspur across two spells, the diminutive Irishman rocked up for many notable clubs across a playing career that spanned 21 years, with Inter Milan, Liverpool, Celtic, and LA Galaxy among those. And while the Irishman scored 126 top flight goals, none would have been as memorable as this sumptuous strike against Wolves, the club in which he made his first professional appearance for. Ever the gentleman, Keane refused to celebrate against his old employers as a gesture of respect. 3) Glen Johnson vs Hull City, 2008/09 Liverpool fans will remember Glen Johnson for his six-year spell at Anfield. And while the right-back was hardly prolific, he had a knack of popping up with stunners. Having spent his whole 16-year career in the Premier League (apart from a loan spell at Millwall in the Championship), the Engand international racked up a total of 358 appearances and 15 goals. But none will be as memorable as this effort, a dipping half volley with his weaker foot, which won the 2008/09 Premier League Goal of the Season award. Fret not, there will be many more to come in the near future. I have compiled a list (mostly from memory, some by watching older match highlights in my free time) of goals I think deserve more attention than they have gotten. ~ Fremont (Image from Wikipedia)

Having been an avid watcher of the Premier League for close to 20 years now, I've seen more than my fair share of "golazos", and some just live in my mind rent-free. From Papiss Cisse's absurd "trivela-esque" volley that dumbfounded Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge to Wayne Rooney's iconic bicycle kick at Old Trafford that silenced our noisy neighbours (yes, I'm a United supporter), these are amazing goals that any average Premier League fan can recall off the top of their heads. But what about the ones that fall under the radar? The goals that never got the fanfare they deserve? Allow a Premier League "veteran" fan who spends his spare time trawling through old compilations to take you through a few that, throughout all these years, still manage to leave me wondering "how the hell did he do that?" 1) Gretar Rafn Steinsson vs Stoke City, 2008/09 Ask fans to name any Icelandic player who made an appearance in the Premier League and you'll invariably get answers such as Gylfi Sigurdsson and Eidur Gudjohnsen. Eagle-eyed fans may even pick out Aron Gunnarsson, the long-serving captain of the Icelandic national team, who featured for Cardiff City, but it takes a certain level of ball knowledge to confidently say "Gretar Rafn Steinsson" without a hint of doubt. In four seasons at Bolton Wanderers, the Icelandic right back made 126 appearances in the top flight and netted five times, including this absolute rocket of a half-volley against Stoke City. How this doesn't get featured regularly in Premier League compilations is beyond me, because this wasn't a fluke (unlike Tom Cleverley's cross-cum-shot against Newcastle in 2012), he clearly meant it. 2) Erik Edman vs Liverpool, 2004/05 Swedish left back Erik Edman's first taste of English top flight football was a solitary season at Tottenham Hotspur, before returning for a brief albeit injury-stricken spell at Wigan Athletic, but he will be fondly remembered for this outrageous thunderbolt from way out. He managed 41 appearance across his time at both clubs and only scored once, but what a goal it was. In fairness, ardent Premier League fans may have come across this goal once or twice among the many compilations on YouTube, but it's too good to leave out. Just from how the ball spins, the ferocity of the strike, and the way Jerzy Dudek was totally caught out makes it a worthwhile entry into this list. 3) John Carew vs Stoke City, 2008/09 The big Norwegian joined Aston Villa in the summer transfer window of 2007, having won titles at Valencia (01/02) and Lyon (05/06 and 06/07), and immediately formed a "Barclaysman" partnership with Gabriel Agbonlahor, combining both pace and power that propelled Villa to a sixth place finish in three consecutive seasons. Carew spent four seasons in the West Midlands, amassing 113 appearance and finding the back of the net 37 times, and I think this effort is the best of the bunch. For such an audacious attempt, it certainly does not get the plaudits it deserves. The goal starts around the seven minute mark, which is when the embedded video should start playing from. That's all for Part One of this series. Don't worry, I'll be back with more forgotten bangers for Part Two. ~ Fremont (Image from Yahoo Sport)

Welcome back to Part Two of this series, where I'll be taking you back to Premier League goals of yesteryear that I believe deserve a lot more attention than they ever got. From fleet-footed trickery ending in the ripple of the net, long-range rockets that zip past stunned goalkeepers, or audacious attempts that leave the crowd with agape mouths, sit back and relax as I take you on a trip down memory lane. 1) Johan Elmander vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, 2010/11 Long before Alexander Isak and Zlatan Ibrahimovic - two of Sweden's talismanic forwards - graced the Premier League, along came a relatively unknown player by the name of Johan Elmander. Signed from Toulouse by Bolton Wanderers, the Swede wasn't exactly the definition of prolific, with 92 top flight appearances and 18 goals for The Trotters. But one of them was so silky and brilliant that in a poll by The Guardian, it was voted as the greatest Premier League goal ever. There's just something about watching a 6'2 striker twist and turn with the kind of fancy footwork rarely associated with players of that stature, before calmly slotting the ball into the side netting. 2) Charles N'Zogbia vs Arsenal, 2009/10 The elusive French winger spent his whole career in the Premier League, spanning 12 years and three clubs. Newcastle United brought him to England from Le Havre's academy, and he spent five years on Tyneside before making the switch to Wigan. His time at the Latics spanned two seasons, 83 appearances, and 15 goals, where he was very much an undisputed regular name in the starting lineup. He would then make the switch to Villa and spend five years in the West Midlands, where his career quietly petered out. A move to Nantes in 2016 was scuppered by the discovery of a heart problem, and the "Zog", as the Geordies affectionately called him, retired soon after. 281 games, 28 goals, 12 seasons in the Premier League. But Charles N'Zogbia will always be remembered for that winner against Arsenal in stoppage time that sealed a memorable 3-2 comeback win for the Latics. 3) Ryan Taylor vs Newcastle, 2008/09 To anyone who isn't a Wigan or Newcastle supporter, Merseyside-born Ryan Taylor remains just one of many to have plied their trade in the English top flight. But delve a little deeper, and you'll see that in 10 seasons playing at the highest level, the English fullback - who is also a free-kick specialist - has a goal catalogue that any striker, much less a defender, would be proud of. And although Taylor only managed 117 appearances in that time, his tally of eight goals ranges from dipping volleys, instinctive efforts, and well-placed free kicks. If injuries hadn't restricted his appearances, who knows what other attempts we could've been treated to? This video will start playing at the 0:28 mark. Just sit back and enjoy the audacity of this attempt against his future employers. 4) Ryan Taylor vs Everton, 2011/12 And on the topic of Ryan Taylor, here's yet another screamer from the fullback, this time for Newcastle. 5) Ryan Taylor vs Sunderland, 2011/12 And here's yet another Taylor effort, this time from a dead ball in the Tyne-Wear derby. It's no wonder Geordies gave him the nickname "Over-The-Wall". Don't worry, there'll be more to come in Part Three of this series. I am staunchly determined to give as many of these forgotten "Barclaysmen" the plaudits they so deserve. ~ Fremont (Image from GiveMeSport)

For all the intricacies of today's footballing landscape, with managers employing unusual tactics - think Pep Guardiola fielding four centre backs - and a greater emphasis on playing it out from the back, the greatest joy a game can give its viewers is still a goalfest, where chaos reigns supreme and the net never seems to stop bulging. And Manchester United's recent 4-4 draw with Bournemouth at Old Trafford has reignited that spark. Indeed, this scoreline is by far the most common in terms of high-scoring games and has also produced some of the most memorable performances in history. Think Chelsea-Man City in the 22/23 season ("Cold" Palmer), Liverpool-Arsenal in 08/09 (Arshavin, take a bow), and Newcastle-Arsenal in 10/11 (Rest in peace, Tiote). With that in mind, let's take a dive into the history of the Premier League and revisit three classic games that delivered a gluttony of goals. 1) Portsmouth 7-4 Reading – 29 September 2007 (2007/2008 season) 11 goals. The highest-scoring game in the league's history. Nine different goalscorers (a joint record). What's not to like? Reading's first foray into the big stages saw them finish a comfortable eighth, but that form would not carry on to the next season, which saw them relegated in 18th place on goal difference, conceding seven to Pompey and six to Spurs along the way (although they fared better than Manchester City, who shipped eight goals to Middlesbrough). Amazingly enough, this game ended 2-1 to Portsmouth at half-time. The lucky 20,102 in attendance, as well as many others watching on the "telly", were in for a treat. One can hardly complain about eight goals in a single half of football. And the scoreline could've been higher if David James hadn't saved Nicky Shorey's penalty. (The Premier League does not allow embedding of its YouTube videos, so please tap the image to go straight to the video itself) 2) Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal – 28 August 2011 (2011/2012 season) Ironically enough, Manchester United would lose the title to Manchester City on the final day on goal difference. And as a staunch United supporter, the wounds are still raw. Every time that "AGUEROOOO" moment pops up in a football compilation, it's a quick fast-forward from me. I even tried watching City's All or Nothing documentary on Amazon Prime, but I stopped completely the moment they played the aforementioned in the second episode. But what makes this scoreline all the more surprising is that this wasn't the case of a better side facing off against a weaker opponent, these were two English giants. Champions League regulars (back then). And even though Arsene Wenger was forced to field a weakened defense (injuries and suspensions played a part), you'd expect Arsenal to put up more of a fight. In the end, Rooney netted a hat-trick, Young curled two pearlers into the top corner, and Arsenal ended with 10 men. In fairness, this game could've gone very differently if van Persie's penalty hadn't been saved by De Gea with the score still at 1-0 to United. (The Premier League does not allow embedding of its YouTube videos, so please tap the image to go straight to the video itself) 3) Tottenham Hotspur 9-1 Wigan Athletic – 23 November 2009 (2009/2010) To date, no player has scored a double hat-trick in the Premier League, and only five players have come close. Andy Cole (vs Ipswich Town), Alan Shearer (vs Sheffield Wednesday), Sergio Aguero (vs Newcastle), Dimitar Berbatov (vs Blackburn), and Jermain Defoe, who slammed five past a hapless Wigan side, including three in seven minutes. And incredulously, the scoreline was 1-0 to Spurs at half-time, which meant that this game holds the Premier League records for the most number of goals scored in one half of football (nine) and the most number of goals scored by one team in one half of football (eight). Sit back, relax, and let the goals flow. (The Premier League does not allow embedding of its YouTube videos, so please tap the image to go straight to the video itself) ~ Fremont (Images from Andrew Yates/AFP, The Irish Independent, The Times, Premier League Archive)

Take nothing away from United's well-deserved derby win over City, they absolutely deserved it. Despite the blue half of Manchester having the lion's share of possession, United absolutely tore them apart on the break with slick passing combinations and electric counterattacks. City barely had a sniff at goal, with Lammens largely untroubled. But is this another false dawn for Manchester United, or a sign of better things to come? To give you an idea of just how one-sided this derby was, United had three goals disallowed and hit the woodwork twice, whilst City had ZERO shots on target As a football supporter, I'm well aware of the effect of the "new manager bounce". But Saturday's brilliant performance against Pep Guardiola's men have inevitably raised many questions, most of which were criticisms aimed at Ruben Amorim's spell in charge. Let it be known that I am still pissed at Amorim's sacking. I love the guy. He's a straight-talking, no-nonsense manager. He got rid of the troublemakers in the group (Garnacho, Rashford, Sancho). And the fact that many of our current players took to social media to thank him for his time in charge is concrete proof that contrary to popular belief, he did not lose the dressing room. Criticism may be aimed at his 3-4-2-1 formation, but United knew what they were getting, and Amorim has every right not to deviate from his philosophy, as he’s said from the start. Lisandro Martinez's return and Harry Maguire's ongoing redemption arc has brought much-needed steel in the heart of United's defence And for all the "backing" that INEOS and Jason Wilcox promised, this summer brought a host of forwards and ZERO midfielders. I’m not slating the signings, Cunha and Mbeumo have brought a fresh impetus to our attack, something we sorely needed, but for years now, the midfield still lacked a decent upgrade. Someone in the mould of Elliot Anderson, or even a punt on Morten Hjulmand, would've benefitted us greatly. Instead, the board ignored Amorim's concerns that have long been echoed by the previous United managers. Can you really blame him then? Granted, we looked good in a 4-2-3-1 when we beat City. And being a former long-serving United player himself, Carrick knows a thing or two about the club's DNA. But as he's stated, he's just here on an interim basis until the summer. Who then, would be a good fit for the United hot seat? If you've been following the news recently, then you'll agree with me that Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes need to keep their traps shut And if you've watched the United-City game, I implore you to cast your mind back five years, when United were under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's charge, and you'll inevitably notice similarities. Under Ole, United sat in a low block against stronger opponents and launched devastating counterattacks on the break. Against weaker opponents who were happy to sit back and do the same to us, United struggled to break them down. Isn't this just regression? I for one, am wary about celebrating too early. I've seen this far too many times. Under Erik ten Hag, his first season was about pragmatism: Sit back and hit opponents on the break. His second season saw him try to implement the same philosophy that brought him much success under Ajax, and we all know how that went. Ole was hired on an interim basis midway through the 18/19 season and went on a lengthy unbeaten streak before being awarded the full-time job, but his three years in charge brought a total of zero trophies. Amorim wasn’t even given a full season: Hired midway through the 24/25 season, fired midway through the 25/26 season. Blasphemy. Erling Haaland may have an impressive goalscoring record against United, but on Saturday, Licha and "Slabhead" kept him largely shackled And to be honest, I have zero faith in anything changing for the better at United until those INEOS leeches and greedy Glazers are far, far away from Old Trafford. 21 years of mismanagement and lining their pockets have brought this once-great club to its knees. Any straight-talking manager will just get shown the door, while puppets will stay for a few years before the Glazers decide to shift the blame, press the reset button, and shake their crystal ball in the hopes that another puppet comes along to appease the fans. So don't celebrate too early yet and keep any criticism of Amorim to yourselves. He was the only one who gave a damn, and now he's gone. This may be a huge win, but how long this feel-good factor will last is up for debate. And if, like me, you’ve been following United for a long time now, you'll know just how many false dawns we've had to endure over the years. ~ Fremont (Images from Manchester United)

Yes, this post was made a mere two days after Manchester United’s statement win over defending champions Liverpool on their home turf, our first since 2016. Yes, I’m still basking in the afterglow of a much-needed victory. And yes, like everything concerning my beloved club, Twitter has been awash with the usual dross of dreamers, realists, and pessimists. Seriously, I saw a few tweets and comments saying that we could win the league. Really? With a midfield leakier than Rebekah Vardy’s mouth? I’d say dream on, but I think these folk need to wake the heck up. Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after his first minute goal threw a spanner into Liverpool's gameplan A 2-1 victory at Anfield gave Ruben Amorim his first back-to-back league wins after taking over the helm in November 2024. And of course, you wouldn’t be amiss to question why a manager who has only now managed that feat to still be in the hot seat. But bearing in mind that this is the Portuguese’s first full season, and with restricted finances due to Financial Fair Play, the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability (PSR) rules, and two decades of mismanagement by the incompetent Glazers, I still think it’s too early to fully judge him. And yes, I am aware we splashed the cash to sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko. All big statement signings. And you would also be right to question why the midfield wasn’t given an upgrade, seeing as that has been United’s Achilles heel ever since Michael Carrick’s retirement. As the saying goes, control the midfield and you control the game. Carrington graduate Kobbie Mainoo can't contain himself after Lord Maguire's late winner But with transfer prices at an all-time high, Jim Radcliffe’s cost-cutting measures, and clubs knowing that they can bleed United’s wallet due to years of overpaying (€100m including add-ons for Antony, anyone?), the Old Trafford hierarchy will have to be savvy with their funds. What could’ve been if Sheikh Jassim showed a bit more leeway. There has also been a rise of managers willing to live and die for an idea. Think Russell Martin at Southampton or Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham and most recently, Nottingham Forest. Amorim is no different, stubbornly sticking with a 3-4-2-1 in a world of 4-2-3-1s and 4-3-3s. Instantly, the mismatch is evident. A two-man pivot will always be outrun and outnumbered by a three-man midfield. It takes a certain kind of ball-winner to perform the role Amorim wants, and with the Red Devils defending in a 5-2-3, our midfielders might well be in the stands, joining the United faithful in bated breath and silent prayer. Harry Maguire's redemption arc is one for the history books Casemiro, bless his soul, has these qualities but, at 33, lacks the legs to chase the ball around. Mainoo and Bruno have a tendency to push upfield, leaving the backline exposed. And according to some sources, Amorim has told Ugarte that he “is not the player he was at Sporting”. Chat, how cooked are we? But to his credit, Amorim is trying to address this issue by quite simply ignoring it. When starting attacks, United bypass their midfield entirely. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens goes long 99% of the time. So do Leny Yoro, Mattheus de Ligt, and Luke Shaw, who are usually the left- or right-sided central defenders. United are more interested in passing combinations along the wing instead of risking it in midfield, although someone forgot to tell Bruno Fernandes the memo on Sunday. We finally have a keeper that sticks to the basics, commands his box well, and claims aerial balls with ease. I could cry So, going back to the Twitter dross: Is it possible for United to win the league? Theoretically, why not? Leicester City did it despite odds of 5000/1 in the 15/16 season. But they had an assured spine of dependable players, a goal machine in Jamie Vardy, a magician in Riyad Mahrez, and the magical touch of Claudio Ranieri. What do we have? A beleaguered backline of Shaw, Maguire, and de Ligt constantly under siege. A striker in Sesko that gets little service because our wingbacks are vampires, i.e., afraid of crosses. And a midfield with more holes than Swiss cheese. It would be an embarrassment for the league if this current United team won the title. Then again, recent history proves that a win against Liverpool can signify a change in fortunes for Manchester United, even if its not an unlikely title charge. Erik ten Hag’s maiden tenure in the 2022/23 season got off to a rocky start, with a 1-2 home loss to Brighton and a 0-4 away drubbing by Brentford. Then came Liverpool in Gameweek Three. Against all odds, United won 2-1 at Old Trafford and never looked back, clinching a third place finish and silverware in the form of the Carabao Cup by the end of the season. Ultimately, that was as good as we got under Ten Hag, but that’s beside the point: Revival after beating Liverpool is possible. Then again, with four out of our next five opponents being Brighton, Tottenham, Everton, and an in-form Crystal Palace team, don’t get your hopes up. ~ Fremont (Images from Twitter)