Manchester United find themselves in 13th place in the Premier League standings, having accumulated four points from their first four fixtures. The team's start to the season includes a 2-0 loss to Hull, a 5-2 victory over Ipswich, a 2-2 draw with Everton, and a 1-0 defeat against Manchester City on Sunday.
The loss to Manchester City followed United's Champions League win against Sabah on Thursday, with City reportedly having 48 hours more rest after their victory at Porto. Concerns have been raised about the team's passiveness, particularly during the Manchester derby where they failed to generate significant goal threat despite Phil Foden's early red card for City.
The club's summer transfer strategy has also come under scrutiny, with a focus on signing three midfielders – Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos, and Carlos Baleba – while a long-standing interest in a left-back did not result in an acquisition. First-choice left-back Luke Shaw was unavailable for the City match due to injury, leading to Patrick Dorgu playing out of position.
Of the £148m spent on new signings, Carlos Baleba is yet to play due to injury, while Andrey Santos has made only one start. Youri Tielemans, who has started all four league matches, reportedly had no other clubs interested in triggering his release clause at Aston Villa.
Looking ahead, Benjamin Sesko, who has scored in substitute appearances in the league and started against Sabah, could be considered for a starting role. United are set to host Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Fulham for a league match on Sunday.