Danny Murphy says Ruben Amorim will likely welcome another midfielder to partner Manuel Ugarte in Manchester United’s midfield after their 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town on Sunday.
The BBC pundit suggested that, in the long run, United’s midfield double pivot will likely feature the Uruguayan and a new arrival at Old Trafford, effectively ruling out Kobbie Mainoo as an option for Amorim.
The Red Devils’ sluggish midfield has become one of the main talking points after the Portuguese tactician’s first game, with both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen struggling on their first start under Amorim on Sunday.
Murphy, writing for the BBC, pointed out that midfielders under Amorim ‘will have to love the defensive side’ of the game and suggested that Ugarte, alongside another new arrival, could become long-term solutions for the new Old Trafford boss:
“To play that role well, United’s midfielders will need to be more than just mobile, too. They will both have to love the defensive side of the game and be able to spot danger then be fast enough to stop it.
“In the long run, I think Manuel Ugarte will be one of them. He needs a run of games to get his sharpness back but we have seen glimpses of how good he is, for example in the Europa League against Fenerbahce last month, and he has flourished under Amorim at Sporting before.
“As for who Ugarte will have alongside him, well it will probably be someone who is not at the club at the moment – there is going to have to be activity in the next couple of transfer windows for them to get the type of player Amorim requires.”
Ugarte, a summer arrival at Old Trafford, started Sunday’s contest on the bench and was introduced for Casemiro in the middle of the second half.
The Portuguese midfielder has reunited with Amorim in Manchester – the pair worked together at Sporting Lisbon and lifted the Portuguese League Cup title in 2021/22.
Mainoo, meanwhile, remained an unused substitute against Ipswich after returning from muscle injury. The 19-year-old last played for the Red Devils in early October and missed a few weeks of action after suffering a setback.
The ‘phenomenal’ midfielder has made nine appearances under Erik ten Hag this term, amassing 644 minutes of action across all competitions.
|
Kobbie Mainoo’s Man United Stats (2024/25 Premier League) |
|
|
Games |
7 |
|
Goals / assists |
0 / 0 |
|
Pass accuracy % |
88.2 |
|
Tackles per 90 |
2.52 |
|
Interceptions per 90 |
2.21 |
|
Minutes played |
571 |
Statistics courtesy of Fbref and Transfermarkt. Correct as of 25-11-24.
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