‘Why has he not got any bigger?’ - Man Utd defender ‘hasn’t kicked on’ as members of the Red Devils’ leaky backline are accused of being ‘eight one week & five the next’

While a third-place finish was eventually secured last season, paving the way for a Champions League return to be made, United were breached on 50 occasions across 38 top-flight fixtures - with champions Arsenal conceding almost half that amount.

No solutions were sought during the summer transfer window of 2026, with more funds being invested in the midfield engine room - having bolstered the attacking line 12 months ago. Questions are being asked of whether the right recruitment model was followed.

Only four points have been picked up through as many games this term, with Michael Carrick’s team yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League. They conceded twice at Hull, at home to Ipswich and on the road against Everton, before seeing Erling Haaland grab a controversial winner for City in the Manchester derby at Old Trafford.

Asked about a confusing puzzle that United are yet to solve, former Red Devils full-back Simpson - who was speaking courtesy of Free Bets, home of the best betting sites in UK - told GOAL: “They're conceding too many goals. Yes, we're good going forward though, most of the time. But I think it was well documented that we needed a left-back with Luke [Shaw]. Even though Luke was fantastic last season, I think everyone knows Luke can't play two games a week. We want to be in all the competitions. So there's now eight games in the Champions League, and you want to go far in the cups.

“Patrick Dorgu, he's in at left-back. We've seen that at the weekend [against City]. The way he played last season before he got injured, higher up, was a decent threat. Centre-back? I think Harry [Maguire] and [Lisandro] Martinez are the two.

“I do worry about full-backs. I think the inconsistency - one week it's [Noussair] Mazraoui, then it's [Diogo] Dalot, then one week they are an eight, next week they are five. I don't think anyone in any league, whether you're playing in the Premier League, the Champions League, trying to do well, you can't have players in your defence that are one week doing eight and the next week five.

“I think up top you can, because if you've got a winger that's playing a five, you're going to change him and he normally gets swapped after six or seven. You can't do that with your defence. You need a set back four that's a seven every week. And then if they're not playing, who comes in?”

United do have cover, but certain members of that pack are yet to truly convince. Yoro, who moved to England from Lille in 2024, falls into that category. He is still only 20 years of age, but has made 69 appearances for the Red Devils.

Simpson has concerns in that department, adding on the defensive headache that Carrick faces: “Dalot's injured, [Ayden] Heaven, we haven't seen him since the Hull game, not surprised, probably the wrong game for him to play in. Hull away in the start of the season against Oliver McBurnie, probably not the best.

“Yoro hasn't kicked on at all. He's been here two years now? You look at everything, when he came in he was young and slight, why is he not in the gym? Why has he not got any bigger? Why is he not stronger? He doesn't look like he's done anything in two years in terms of his physique. You know the Premier League is tough. So, your back four is your back four - which is Shaw, Martinez, Maguire and Dalot.”

United will likely shuffle their pack for a Carabao Cup third-round clash with Brighton on Wednesday. Carrick may give opportunities to a few of those that sit on the fringes of his fold.

Untimely injuries are doing his cause few favours, but the risk of knocks and suspensions is always there and the Red Devils stand accused of not doing enough to ensure that they are well-stocked on the depth chart - and of not pushing those already at their disposal hard enough.