It is officially Man Utd’s worst ever PL season and the numbers behind their demise are dire

It is officially Manchester United’s worst ever Premier League season.

Less than 72 hours after the high of a ‘Fergie time’ throwback as Ruben Amorim’s side scored three goals in seven minutes in extra time to beat Lyon 5-4 and advance to the Europa League semi-finals, Old Trafford descended into despair.

Wolves substitute Pablo Sarabia curled a stunning left-footed free kick into the top corner from 20 yards to condemn United to a record 15th Premier League loss of the season.

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Making matters worse, it was only last season under Erik ten Hag that the previous club record of 14 losses in a campaign was set.

Sarabia’s 77th minute strike, only two minutes after coming off the bench, was the lone goal scored at Old Trafford on Easter Sunday as Wolves notched a fifth successive league win, the first time they have done so in the top flight since 1970.

It was also the first time Wolves have beaten United twice in a season since 1980.

To add further insult to injury, it was United’s eight home loss of the season, their most defeats at the one-time ‘Theatre of Dreams’ in a league campaign in 62 years.

That is not where the embarrassing statistics end either.

With only 38 points to their name with five matches remaining, United are guaranteed to collect their fewest amount of points in a season, lowering the previous mark of 58 set in 2021/22.

It also means they are all but certain to finish on the bottom half of the Premier League table for the first time with eighth last season their previous lowest finish.

The silver lining among it all was that they have avoided relegation.

Pundits were quick to mention it in a very tongue-in-cheek manner, and Amorim was keen to find any positives he could.

“This season is going to end like this. We need to take the positives, try to work on the things we need to improve,” Amorim said after the loss to Wolves.

“Again, I think I’ve been saying this for a quite a while. They will have one chance because this is the Premier League.

“We need to score goals. We have to work and try to be better in the first game of next season. That’s in the past.

“When you play for a big club like this, you win one game, one stage in the Europa League, but let’s move on.

“We were the better team on the pitch. Like we did so many times this season, we had some good moments but then setbacks.

“So one more but it’s really frustrating.

“Sometimes, it’s when our opponents are really better, but today you can feel it, we had the game in our hands.”

Amorim hit the nail on the head.

United simply struggled to score and it was emblematic of their entire season.

They have scored just 38 league goals, only five other teams have found the back of the net less, and they badly lacked polish again on Sunday.

The hosts mustered 12 shots to four, and had 60% possession, but only two of their shots were on target. That is also not included the opportunities that did not, but should have, resulted in a shot.

Maligned pair Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount squandered chances in the box.

Hojlund somehow did not get to a ball at the back post for a straight forward tap-in that would have put United in front.

It added to the Danish striker’s miserable season, having scored just six goals in 31 starts, including a solitary goal in his last 28 appearances.

“The stats will highlight one of his regular problems, a lack of involvement. 14 touches, one every five minutes. Four of those in the Wolves box, just one more than Mason Mount who only came on for the final half-hour. A solitary shot, a near-post flick from a corner routine moments after half-time which was well blocked by Toti Gomes,” Sky Sports’ Ron Walker said.

“But what they won’t mention are the chances he should have had. Later in the half he was caught on his heels and too late to meet an Alejandro Garnacho ball through the six-yard box, and missed it on the slide by a matter of inches.

“Before the break, he was nowhere to be seen to reach a Patrick Dorgu cross which should be a striker’s dream. Then to make matters worse, he failed to gamble on an almost identical chance – from the same provider – moments later.

“For a forward with a £64m price tag, he is showing little sign of possessing a striker’s instinct nearly two seasons into his Old Trafford career.”

The Telegraph’s James Ducker shared similar sentiments when writing about Hojlund, declaring that is eventual substitution “almost felt merciful”.

“His movement and anticipation are just not at the level United require and there were other examples of that in the first period when his positioning was all over the place as Patrick Dorgu, twice, and Harry Amass delivered inviting crosses,” Ducker said.

“Each time the ball sailed over Hojlund’s head or in front of him, his bearings all wrong. Indeed, his eventual 70th-minute substitution for Chido Obi almost felt merciful.”

Amorim refused to lay the blame squarely with Hojlund, instead saying it is a whole team issue.

The Portuguese manager is scratching his head at present, desperate for the summer transfer window to arrive as he has barely squeezed any life out of the current squad.

United have lost 11 of 22 league matches since Amorim arrived in Manchester.

He lost that many times in his last 114 league fixtures with Sporting CP.

A prolific goal-scorer is a clearly at the top of Amorim’s wish list, and United have been heavily linked with Liam Delap, who has scored 12 goals for Championship-bound Ipswich Town, and Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig.

But former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara said on the Sky Sports coverage that Amorim needs to show more with what is at his disposal, or else he could be the latest manager moved on in the post Sir Alex Ferguson era.

“It was a poor performance from them today,” O’Hara said.

“I’m not convinced about Man United, I’m not convinced at all. I don’t know if this formation works, I really don’t.

“They’ve got massive problems. He hasn’t got the players for the system. In the summer they need to decide whether to bring in loads of new players for Ruben Amorim or get a new manager.

“United’s league form is unacceptable and if they don’t win the Europa League it’s a disaster of a season.”

United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also made it clear in several public interviews that there will not be millions upon millions of pounds to spend on a new squad in the coming months either, as he tries to rectify the club’s financial situation.

It means Amorim must develop the current crop better.

There was promising signs in the department with 18-year-old Harry Amass and 20-year-old Tyler Fredricson playing the full 90 minutes and impressing.

“The biggest upside for Amorim here was the performance of academy graduates Tyler Fredricson, who cut a composed figure on the left side of the back three on his debut, and Amass,” Ducker wrote for the Telegraph.

“This was the latter’s second league start for United and first at Old Trafford and he impressed defensively and going forward. United could do worse than give the 18-year-old a proper chance next season. Amorim said the pair “deserved better” than to be on the losing team.”

But with the losses mounting, Amorim’s side are in the same predicament as Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham with the lure of silverware still available despite a horror league campaign.

United face Spanish outfit Athletic Club, who sit fourth in La Liga, in their Europa League semi-final.

Amorim will be desperate for a fighting display to not only salvage something from this season, but to provide hope for the next.