Manchester United arrived at the Etihad with an advantage over Manchester City, but Ruben Amolin, who was unbeaten against Guardiola last season, revealed his true self as the team lost 0-3. The Red Devils, having invested more than £200 million in forwards during the summer, failed to find the net. While they had numerous shots, only two were on target, and scoring both still wouldn’t have prevented defeat.

Amolin’s choice of starting eleven stunned the supporters. Before the match, English media widely predicted captain Bruno Fernandes would move forward to replace the injured Cunha, but the Manchester United manager opted to play right winger Amad Diallo on the left flank, keeping Bruno Fernandes in central midfield alongside Ugart. Casemiro and Coby Meno, who had been building momentum during the international break, both remained on the bench.

English media commented: Amolin consistently plays players out of position; Luke Shaw as a center-back is a stretch, and Bruno Fernandes clearly isn’t suited for central midfield. Meanwhile, Manchester United has a habit of silencing good forwards—Sheshko has yet to score in seven appearances for club and country this season.

After kickoff, both teams played openly, with each side’s striker having a threatening shot. Manchester City’s Haaland’s low shot skimmed past the post, while Sheshko’s long-range effort was saved by City’s new goalkeeper Donnarumma. However, the next attack would be the only decent chance for the Red Devils in the first half!

In the 18th minute, Doku received the ball on the right, turned and broke through as if he were unchallenged, dribbling past three Manchester United players before crossing. Phil Foden headed the ball powerfully, leaving new signing Sena Lamens and United goalkeeper Alatae Baindil helpless as Manchester United fell behind 0-1 to Manchester City.

In this goal, captain Bruno Fernandes bore more responsibility than the goalkeeper; his defensive awareness was lacking, allowing Foden to roam freely beside him and score by out-positioning him. Bruno ended by shrugging, expressing frustration at the defensive lapse.

Data shows that out of the seven goals Manchester United conceded in the Premier League this season, three resulted from midfielders failing to keep pace with opponents. This clearly indicates Bruno Fernandes is not suitable for the withdrawn central role in a 3-4-3 formation, yet Amolin seems unwilling to accept this widely held view.

A player out of position caused Manchester United to trail by one goal at halftime, and soon after the break, another mispositioned key player allowed Manchester City to score their second. Doku assisted again, and Luke Shaw couldn’t keep up with Haaland’s burst; the latter faced the goalkeeper and delicately chipped the ball with his left foot into the net, making it 0-2.

After the match, Amolin admitted these goals could have been avoided. "If you look at those goals, we could have prevented them. That’s the biggest difference. We could have done better, especially on the second goal. We conceded goals that were avoidable," the Manchester United manager summarized.

Minutes after the second goal, Haaland nearly scored his second immediately. Following a backline error by Manchester United, Haaland faced an open goal, but his shot hit the post, allowing the Red Devils to escape unscathed.

Among Manchester United’s £200 million new forward line, only Mbemoh has scored this season and was the closest to scoring in this match. Unfortunately, his brilliant volley was denied by Donnarumma. Across six hours of Premier League play this season, Manchester United has scored only once from open play.

Manchester United failed to score, while Manchester City sealed the victory. In the 68th minute, Bernardo Silva intercepted in midfield and played a through ball; Haaland faced the keeper one-on-one and calmly slotted the ball home, extending City’s lead to 3-0.

Amolin reflected: "The biggest difference was that we failed to score on transitions, and Manchester City capitalized better in the second half. We suffered at crucial moments and could have performed better, that’s clear. It’s still a transition issue. On the third goal, our passing was poor; no one knew who should receive the ball, so the opponent scored easily. On the first goal, Doku was surrounded by four players, and we could have been more proactive. In matches like this, perfection is required, and we didn’t achieve it. It’s always frustrating because we created so many chances but failed to score. In the next game, we need to improve in many areas."

With a three-goal lead, Manchester City slowed the pace, and Amolin finally moved Bruno Fernandes to the attacking midfield role, which generated more shooting opportunities for Manchester United. However, the better scoring chances still belonged to Manchester City; Reinders missed a clear one-on-one opportunity, sending the ball wide.

With Mbemoh, Casemiro, and Patrick Doku all failing to convert chances in front of goal, Manchester United couldn’t score a consolation goal and ultimately lost the 197th Manchester Derby 0-3. Ferguson, watching live at the Etihad, looked worried in the stands, as did owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Every Manchester United fan around the world shared the same concern.

Manchester United has only 4 points from 4 games, marking their worst league start since the 1992/93 season, when the club ended a 26-year league title drought. But this time, a miracle seems impossible. Although only four Premier League matches have been played this season, the Opta supercomputer predicts Manchester United’s chance of relegation (11%) is higher than their chance of finishing in the top five (7.3%). Many believe that despite spending so much on players, the root cause of the team’s chaotic offense and defense is Amolin’s 3-4-3 formation, which does not suit the squad’s characteristics.

However, manager Amolin reaffirmed his firm belief in the controversial 3-4-3 system and stated he will absolutely not change it. The 40-year-old Portuguese coach said that if Manchester United wants to adopt a different tactical approach, a change of manager is necessary. "I understand and accept that this is not the record Manchester United should have. Many things have happened in recent months, and I am at a loss, but I will not change. I will only change if I want to change my philosophy; otherwise, you will have to replace me," Amolin said. "I understand football, and results decide everything. We played better, but the results didn’t reflect that."

Amolin insists his team’s performance is not poor: "Against Arsenal, we were the better team. Odegaard, Rice, and Zubimendi are three top midfielders, and we only have two midfielders. Fans don’t want to hear this, but I try to stay rational. I don’t believe in systems or anything else; I only trust my method, and I will continue coaching my way until I truly want to make a change."

The Daily Mail asserts that if Manchester United continues playing like this, Amolin might not last until Christmas. During his tenure, he has led the team to only eight wins in 31 Premier League games; among the 17 teams in the Premier League since his appointment, Manchester United currently ranks last. Regarding the risk of dismissal, Amolin says it is not for him to decide.

"This is certainly not the record Manchester United should have, and many complex reasons contribute to it. I understand this record and the decisions that follow. What I want to say is that I will give my all, always putting the club’s interests first and doing everything possible. Whether the manager changes or not is not up to me; that is not my decision. As long as I am the manager, I will do my best, and the pain and pressure I endure are greater than the fans’," Amolin stated.