Manchester United have just started their 2024-2025 Premier League campaign with a narrow victory over Fulham. The performance of Erik ten Hag and his team was not too impressive but also brought some positive signals.

However, the victory in the opening match still exposed the remaining problems from last season of Man United. One of them is the left-back position, which is considered the “deadly spot” in the defense.

In the match against Fulham, new signing Noussair Mazraoui made a solid debut at left-back, before being withdrawn in the second half for Diogo Dalot. Ten Hag then moved Dalot back to his preferred position on the right, pushing Lisandro Martinez out to the left. This is also the position the Argentina international played in the Community Shield final against Manchester City, when Man United were short of personnel.

The lack of a proper left-back is considered a “fatal weakness” in Man United’s defense. Tyrell Malacia missed the entirety of last season, while Luke Shaw was constantly absent due to injury. Ten Hag was forced to use Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in outfield positions. In addition, Victor Lindelof, Antony and Sofyan Amrabat were also tested as alternatives in this position.

The constant rotation of the squad due to injuries caused MU to concede a record number of goals last season. One of the real reasons for the fragility of the “Red Devils” defense comes from the wrong decisions of the team’s leadership in the transfer market. When Luke Shaw suffered a calf injury, Tyrell Malacia had knee surgery, the Old Trafford team decided to borrow Sergio Reguilon from Tottenham Hotspur.

This was a successful deal for Man United when the Spaniard played brilliantly, being considered an excellent replacement for Luke Shaw. However, as soon as Shaw and Malacia returned from injury, the Old Trafford team terminated Reguilon’s contract in January 2023.

This hasty decision backfired immediately, as both Malacia and Shaw missed the rest of the season due to recurring injuries. Man United’s defense became even more fragile at that time. Not only that, this also affected the ability to attack on the left flank.

According to Opta Analyst, the absence of a left-footed defender leaves Marcus Rashford without a partner in combination or overlapping. In addition, Rashford’s playing space is also significantly reduced whenever Dalot tends to move into the middle to develop the ball or finish himself. However, Luke Shaw will be more suitable for overlapping situations or crossing the ball with his stronger foot into the opponent’s penalty area.

According to The Athletic, after learning from the Sergio Reguilon loan deal, Man United’s board of directors may bring in another pure left-back before the 2024 summer transfer window closes.

In addition, Ten Hag is also giving 17-year-old star Harry Amass a chance and testing him on the tour of the US. However, Amass will likely need more time to hone and train with the U21 team before he is expected to become an official replacement.