Ruben the Messiah leads Manchester United over Brighton

Rejoice, rejoice, all Mancunians of a red persuasion, the good times are back. Dust off those red and black scarves, pop the collar on your 90s retro shirt like King Erik, and bear witness as the Red Devils ascend all the way to… well, sixth in the Premier League.

Ok, so I am being a bit flippant and maybe a tad unfair, but the fanfare and celebrations that greeted Manchester United winning three Premier League games in a row, for just the second time in Ruben Amorim’s now almost year-long tenure, said more about where this giant of English football had fallen than they did about any potential revival.

Of course, three successive Premier League wins, especially when one of them is away to the reigning champions and your fiercest rivals, aren’t to be sniffed at. However, when viewed in a broader context, it suggests, at most, a steady and fragile progress for Amorim's team, rather than the significant transformation and new beginning it has been widely touted as.

In addition to their victory at Anfield against a Liverpool team that itself cannot currently buy a Premier League victory, United have beaten Sunderland and Brighton at home. While these victories are commendable, they do not represent a significant breakthrough for a team that spent nearly a quarter of a billion pounds on attacking talent in the summer.

During Saturday's win over Brighton there were signs that the previously mentioned attacking talent was coming together. There were also familiar defensive concerns. With a 3-0 lead, United appeared to be in control of the game, but goals from veteran players Danny Welbeck and Charalampos Kostoulas allowed Brighton to recover. 

https://youtu.be/4S-RlHIrUFo?si=7yPG2vUJVdDPOK5S

Bryan Mbeumo's last-minute goal to secure the three points and restore United's two-goal lead may have obscured the near collapse, but it's undeniable that United faced genuine danger during injury time at Old Trafford.

Football is a peculiar and unpredictable game, as demonstrated by Ange Postecoglou, yet Amorim's loss to Brentford, preceding this brief streak of victories, seemed to seal his destiny. The fact that he didn’t get fired and led his team to three victories is a credit to the Portuguese coach. But any claims that Ruben is the savior are wildly premature; to paraphrase Monty Python, he isn't the Messiah; he just beat Brighton at home.

A club of United's caliber, given its history and financial resources, should compete for major awards every season. Finishing in the top six this season would be a significant improvement over the previous year. It would only be the first step toward Manchester United's return. Suppose Ruben Amorim is to succeed where so many others have failed, breaking free from Sir Alex Ferguson's long shadow and restoring Manchester United to glory. In that case, he must win three consecutive league games without being noticed.

In theory, United's next six games present an excellent opportunity to build on their recent success. Of their next six opponents, they will play all three clubs currently languishing in the bottom three of the table, only facing Tottenham and Crystal Palace, who are currently in the top half.

Suppose Amorim's team can navigate these games with a string of positive results and performances that combine defensive stability and exciting attacking football. In that case, it may appear that at least a foundation has been established. Upon this foundation, United can begin the long ascent back to the top.

But for now, United fans, it is wise to hold off on adding a photo of Amorim to the ones you have of Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson hanging in your living room.