Mason Greenwood’s Dream Start with Marseille Adds Salt to MU Fans’ Wounds and Exposes the Harsh Paradox at the Club
The Paradox of Greenwood and Man Utd
After a hard-fought win against Fulham in their season opener, MU suffered a defeat against Brighton in the second round. Despite Brighton’s decent performance, MU’s display was still far below acceptable standards. Players at MU are expected to perform at a much higher level.
More than a day after the defeat, across the Channel, Mason Greenwood shone brightly with a superb header, securing a point for Marseille at the Velodrome. In just two matches, Greenwood scored 3 goals, surpassing the total goals MU has scored in the same period.
Earlier, Marseille fans did not welcome Greenwood warmly. The city’s mayor even called the signing a disgrace. However, coach Roberto De Zerbi gave Greenwood his full support, and the player has proven himself worthy of that trust.
While Greenwood is becoming a key figure in De Zerbi’s energetic Marseille, his former club MU is still struggling with Erik ten Hag’s philosophy. Despite Ten Hag having more options, the performance of these players falls far short of Greenwood’s impact.
MU currently has several wingers, including Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo, Antony, and Jadon Sancho. Among them, only Diallo and somewhat Garnacho have performed acceptably. Rashford has not scored for MU since March 2024, while Greenwood has netted 5 goals in the same period. Greenwood contributed to 16 goals for Getafe last season, more than Rashford, despite playing fewer matches.
MU has spent a total of 180 million Euros on Antony and Sancho, but their contributions have been less significant compared to Garnacho and Amad. It’s paradoxical and bitter that Greenwood, who had to leave MU, is performing much better than the players retained at Old Trafford.
A Deadlock for MU
It is clear that Greenwood had to leave MU for reasons beyond football. The decision to sell Greenwood was likely carefully considered by MU’s management, despite keeping him being a significant trade-off for a global brand like MU.
Losing Greenwood has put MU in a difficult position, as the remaining players are not up to the required standard. Fans had high hopes for Jadon Sancho after his return to Old Trafford, but his performances have only tested the patience of the coach and supporters.
Erik ten Hag has stated that any discord with Sancho has been resolved, but it is unclear if Sancho has apologized. Sancho has been cleared of any penalties, allowed to play, and even taken a penalty in the Man City match. However, has he proven himself worthy of these opportunities?
Sancho’s contributions have been lackluster in friendly matches and he missed a crucial penalty in the Community Shield. After being left out of the squad for the last two matches (due to injury, according to Ten Hag), Sancho has expressed a desire to leave. Soon after, rumors emerged that MU might swap Sancho for Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell.
This potential transfer is unlikely to satisfy MU fans. Sterling and Chilwell are both quality players, but one has seen a decline in form and the other is injury-prone. If this deal goes through, it could turn out to be another misstep in MU’s history.
Swapping Sancho for Sterling and Chilwell might not solve MU’s problems. In fact, it could be another attempt to correct one mistake with another. The challenges Ten Hag faces may be even more complex than those with Sancho.
Amid the turmoil at MU currently, there is still a glimmer of hope. In recent seasons, hope at MU has been kindled by individual players, but none have yet been able to carry the team. Rashford in 2022/2023, Garnacho in 2023/2024, and possibly Amad might follow this trend.
The winger position is just one part of the broader issues at Old Trafford. The more worrying aspect is that Erik ten Hag does not seem to be close to finding a solution to the paradoxical situation at MU.
