Analyzing Manchester United's Corner Kick Strategy Under Ruben Amorim

One of the main subjects for criticism in Ruben Amorim's first month at Manchester United was defending corner kicks. The lack of a well-coordinated game in open-play was understandable due to the abrupt change in the playing system, the Portuguese's directness at press conferences was a buy-in, the fans were ready to wait. But a few glaring failures at the set-pieces pissed off even the most patient. Two goals conceded vs. Arsenal, a 1st minute goal from Nottingham Forest and direct corner kicks from Matheus Cunha, Heung-min Son and Kieran Trippier made the Portuguese an easy target for media attacks. 

But after a series of setbacks, United seem to have recovered. In 2025, opponents are hitting Andre Onana's goal less often, and the average danger of their shots has dropped noticeably. This text is an attempt to understand the dynamics of the team's play on corners in defence and to look for patterns in offensive corners.

The study takes Manchester United's corner kicks under Ruben Amorim in EPL matches of the 24-25 season in full squads from November to today.

Defensive corners