Manchester United’s recent run of form, which saw them hailed as October heroes, has spectacularly crashed and burned in a truly nightmarish November. The latest and most humiliating blow came on Monday night (24/11/25) as they slumped to a shock 0-1 defeat against Everton at Old Trafford.
What makes the defeat so astonishing is the context: United played for a staggering 77 minutes against 10 men after an unbelievably bizarre incident saw Everton’s Idrissa Gueye sent off in the 13th minute for an altercation with his own teammate, Michael Keane. Yet, despite the numerical advantage, the Red Devils simply could not find a way past the visiting defence.
The Gueye-Keane Fiasco and Dewsbury-Hall’s Stunner
The match turned on its head early. Gueye’s red card for a heated, physical confrontation with Keane was unprecedented, gifting United the initiative. However, instead of capitalising, United were instantly punished.
Not long after the sending off, Everton’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall produced a stunning strike to give the 10-man side a shock lead—a lead they would valiantly hold until the final whistle.
This defeat writes a bleak piece of history for Manchester United: as per BBC, it is the first time they have lost a Premier League match at Old Trafford after seeing the opposition pick up a red card. Their previous record in this situation stood at an impressive 46 matches, yielding 36 wins and 10 draws.
The Tides of November and the Premier League Standings
October was a period of high confidence and celebration for United. They secured massive victories over Sunderland, Brighton, and, most notably, Liverpool at Anfield. Manager Ruben Amorim deservedly scooped the Manager of the Month award, while Bryan Mbeumo took home the Player of the Month honour.
However, November has seen that momentum completely dissipate, transforming into a run of three matches without a win. Before the Everton defeat, United had salvaged unconvincing 2-2 draws against both Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.
This run of poor results has seen Manchester United slide down the Premier League table. After 12 games, they now sit in 10th position with 18 points, only separated from 11th-placed Everton and 12th-placed Liverpool by goal difference. A heavy win would have launched them into the European spots; instead, they are firmly entrenched in the bottom half of the top ten.
Upcoming Fixtures: A Chance for Redemption
Ruben Amorim’s side now faces a critical run of fixtures to halt the November slump and climb back into contention for the European places. They will immediately look to bounce back in their final game of the month before an intense festive period begins in December.
| Date | Competition | Opponent | Venue |
| Sun 30 Nov | Premier League | Crystal Palace | Away (Selhurst Park) |
| Thu 04 Dec | Premier League | West Ham United | Home (Old Trafford) |
| Mon 08 Dec | Premier League | Wolves | Away (Molineux Stadium) |
| Mon 15 Dec | Premier League | Bournemouth | Home (Old Trafford) |
| Sun 21 Dec | Premier League | Aston Villa | Away (Villa Park) |
The final match in November against Crystal Palace provides an immediate test of character away from home. This will be followed by a challenging December, featuring home ties against West Ham and Bournemouth, and tricky away trips to Wolves and a potentially strong Aston Villa side just before Christmas.
Amorim’s Stark Assessment: ‘We Were Not Ready’
Manager Ruben Amorim did not hold back in his assessment of the team’s failing.
“Old Trafford was there saying ‘we are all here to give a big step up’ and I felt that we were not ready,” he stated. “Again, these five weeks, when everyone is praising our evolution, I’m always saying the same things. We are not even near what we’re supposed to be in this club.”
The Portuguese coach highlighted a severe lack of commitment and desire, even going so far as to praise the fight shown by the two Everton players—albeit wishing his team would show the same passion without the subsequent red card.
“Fighting is not a bad thing,” Amorim insisted. “Fighting doesn’t mean that they don’t like each other. Fighting is that you lose the ball and ‘I will fight you because we will suffer a goal’. I hope my players, when they lose the ball, fight each other.”
Amorim’s final words were a dose of cold reality for the club and its fans, suggesting the team is far from ready to compete at the highest level:
“I know which point we are in,” he said. “I have that feeling during this run… We are not there, not even near the point we should be to fight for the best positions in the league.”
The manager concluded that they must be “perfect to win games,” and against 10-man Everton, they were anything but. Manchester United must now find a way to quickly shake off this nightmare before their season slips further into disappointment.
