Fitness Problems Leave Manchester United and Spurs Struggling

Slow start for United

Manchester United are in a tough spot under manager Michael Carrick. Severe scrutiny has hit the club after a poor run of results, along with a falling out between Carrick and team captain Bruno Fernandes. Recent defeats include a 4-1 loss to Como, a 3-0 loss to AFC Bournemouth, and a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. A dramatic 3-2 victory over Roma in the Champions League gave the squad brief relief.

Fitness levels are a major topic of debate. United rank near the bottom of the Premier League in almost every running statistic, including distance covered, sprinting, and high speed running. They are bottom of the pile for average max speed. Summer signing Youri Tielemans mentioned in an interview with former defender Rio Ferdinand that summer training was almost strictly ball work with very little running. United then lost their opening league match to newly promoted Hull City.

Midtable running stats and player friction

Running numbers often match playing styles. Teams like Fulham cover the most distance, while Ipswich Town sprint the most. Newcastle United, Bournemouth, and Brentford rank high for sprinting because of their intense styles.

United average 55% possession across nine league matches, an increase from 51.6% last season. However, they have played low possession teams like Hull City, who average 33.2%, and Ipswich Town, who average 45.5%. United sit in the middle of the league for pressing numbers, with 56 high turnovers and a 12.8 PPDA score.

This tactical middle ground has created frustration. Fernandes voiced concern after the Como match, noting that the team did not put enough pressure on the ball. Carrick dropped his captain for the Bournemouth match right after those comments.

Spurs suffer similar fitness dips

Tottenham Hotspur have also struggled with condition. Although Spurs recently managed three straight wins, they failed to win any games before the three week October international break. Manager Roberto De Zerbi stated his side lacked physical condition.

Spurs control 63.2% possession, trailing only Manchester City at 64.5%. They also lead the league in pressing with the lowest PPDA of 8.5 and 88 high turnovers. Despite these numbers, Spurs tend to start matches with high energy but fade after 30 minutes. That drop in energy led to defeats against Aston Villa by 3-2 and Newcastle United by 2-0. Reports show that both United and Spurs did little to no dedicated conditioning work over the summer break.