Manchester United have spent more time in winning positions across the 11 Premier League games of 2025/26 than they did in the 27 top-flight matches overseen in 2024–25. United have spent more than 496 minutes leading opponents this season, equivalent to 45% of their total time on the pitch in 2025–26, per Opta.

Only Manchester City have enjoyed longer spells in ascendancy this term. Even league-leading Arsenal have not spent as much time on top, although they have found a way to end eight games in front while United only boast five wins.

Under Amorim in 2024–25 the numbers were different: across 27 games United spent 355 mins, 40 secs in winning positions and recorded seven wins. In 2025–26, across 11 games, the club has 496 mins, 5 secs leading and five wins. Stats via Opta. Correct as of Nov. 12, 2025.

United have dropped six points from winning positions this season, losing a lead to Fulham early on and repeating strange sequences against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur where they scored first, fell behind and then salvaged a 2–2 draw in both matches. Amorim wrote off the blunder against Forest as five minutes of madness but cited the enforced substitutions of Casemiro and Harry Maguire after the 72nd minute in the Spurs match as the turning point; United were 1–0 up and largely in control when those players left the field. With Matthijs de Ligt failing to offer Maguire’s assurance in a central role and Manuel Ugarte floundering in Casemiro’s absence, United conceded twice. Amorim was keen to point out United came back to score in both those fixtures.

Offensively the side are sharper. Per 90, goals have risen from 1.04 to 1.45, xG from 1.21 to 1.44, shots from 13.7 to 14.1 and xG per shot from 0.088 to 0.102 (FBref). A summer outlay of £200 million ($262.5 million) on the frontline has helped. Bryan Mbeumo has five goals this season, more than Rasmus Højlund (four) or Joshua Zirkzee (three) managed last year. Matheus Cunha scored his first goal at the end of October, and the team now uses long switches of play more frequently than any other top-flight side to present the new forwards with better chances.

Axel Tuanzebe has launched High Court proceedings against Manchester United, seeking compensation linked to injury treatment he says curtailed his time at the club. The claim, lodged in July and reported by Sky News, seeks damages calculated by potential loss of earnings through wages and bonuses and is described as being “in excess of £1 million”.

The central fact in the complaint is a stress fracture to Tuanzebe’s lower spine sustained in January 2020. The player says the injury caused “significant pain and discomfort since their development and deterioration.” United remained his employer as he missed 42 games for club and country between December 2019 and October 2020. He also missed a large chunk of the 2022–23 season before being released in the summer.

Tuanzebe’s legal case alleges that the original injury became chronic by July 2022 after he sustained the same problem on the right side of his lower spine. He contends the club’s medical staff did not provide appropriate care and specialist support, and that they failed to refer him to a third party for further assessment. The lawsuit states: “Appropriate treatment plans would, on the balance of probabilities, have resulted in the claimant avoiding the pain and discomfort set out below and would have resulted in him being able to play professional football at elite level without restriction or impediment,” the lawsuit says.

The claim accepts Tuanzebe remains a professional player but argues the condition has affected his career trajectory. “As it is, although he continues to play at an elite level, this has impacted his career and earnings.” He is currently at Burnley but, the filing adds, he is no longer able to play “without restriction or impediment.” Tuanzebe has previously spent time on loan at Ipswich Town and Stoke City.

Manchester United have declined to comment on the proceedings. The club have, the report notes, shown great improvement in recent weeks under Ruben Amorim.

Manchester United have allowed Lisandro Martínez to travel with and train alongside the Argentina squad during the international break while he completes the final stages of his injury recovery. The centre back is not yet fit and was not called up for this month’s Argentina squad, but he will spend the next two weeks with Lionel Scaloni’s side.

The Argentinian Federation released a statement: “The Manchester United defender will join the Argentine national team camp to train and continue his physiotherapy with the team’s medical staff,”

“It should be noted that the player is unavailable for the friendly match against Angola.” A formal return date has not been provided.

United manager Ruben Amorim predicted things to progress “slowly” just a few weeks ago. The player remains on a recovery programme established by United’s medical staff and is at a crucial point in his return plan.

Clubs seldom permit injured players to work away from their own facilities because of tightly controlled medical protocols. The decision to allow Martínez to train with Argentina was, according to the Daily Mail, a calculated and measured call. The belief within United is that training “at a high level” with the national squad would be more beneficial than keeping him at Carrington for the next two weeks.

If the plan goes to schedule, Martínez will return to United with the club assessing how to reintroduce the 27-year-old to first-team action. United host Everton after the November international break and conclude the month with a trip to Crystal Palace. The hope is that Martínez can manage even a brief cameo before increasing his involvement over the festive period.