Manchester United is facing a challenging season, marked by a series of defeats in their recent matches.

In the month of December, Manchester United played a total of 8 matches.

Their first encounter was against Newcastle on December 3rd, resulting in a 1-0 loss with Anthony Gordon scoring for Newcastle in the 55th minute.

Analyzing the performance stats of two teams reveals that Newcastle did better.

Newcaslte dominated in shots, possession, and passes.

Newcastle had 22 shots, 4 shots on target, 59% possession, and an 83% pass accuracy, while Manchester United lagged behind with 8 shots, 1 shot on target, 41% possession, and a 75% pass accuracy.

Additionally, Manchester United committed 8 more fouls than Newcastle.

The next match was against Chelsea, which Manchester United won 2-1.

Scott McTomminay scored a multi-goal in this match.

The third match was against Bournemouth on December 10th ended in a surprising 3-0 defeat for Manchester United, despite having better performance stats than Bournemouth.

Manchester United had 20 shots, 69% possession, and an 85% pass accuracy, but the inability to capitalize on these advantages resulted in a surprising defeat.

Another reason it was shocking for Manchester United to lose was that Manchester United was in a higher rank than Bournemouth.

The fourth match was against Bayern Munich on December 13th, and Manchester United lost 1-0.

The performance stats of both teams were closely matched.

The following match against Liverpool on December 18th ended in a draw, but Liverpool dominated in performance stats, with 34 shots compared to Manchester United’s 6, and a red card for Diogo Dalot in the 94th minute.

Liverpool had 34 shots, 8 on target, 69% possession, and an 84% pass accuracy, compared to Manchester United’s 6 shots, 1 on target, 31% possession, and a 71% pass accuracy.

Facing West Ham on December 23rd, Manchester United suffered another defeat, losing 2-0 despite having better stats.

However, the month concluded on a positive note with a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on an impressive display by Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund.

The last match of the month on December 31st saw Manchester United lose 2-1 to Nottm Forest, despite having better performance stats.

Marcus Rashford’s goal was not enough to secure a win.

In summary, Manchester United’s recent struggles are evident in their mixed performance throughout December, highlighting that they are having a tough time lately.

Eric Lee

Grade 7

St.Johnsbury Academy Jeju