Gary Neville has already seen enough of Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United to have a clear idea of who the winners and the losers may be in the post-Erik ten Hag era.
The struggles of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen as Manchester United’s deep-lying midfield duo – chasing shadows as a fitter, faster Ipswich Town side ran rings around the Red Devils – created the impression of two old pensioners gasping for air in a young man’s game.
Gary Neville feels that Manuel Ugarte – and not just because he played under Ruben Amorim at Sporting – will be one of the first names on the team sheet soon enough.
Ugarte was left on the bench against Ipswich after returning late from Uruguay duty. But his aggression, energy and ball-winning prowess makes Ugarte a must in the centre of the park, protecting the silk of Kobbie Mainoo with a sheet of steel.
Neville feels that Amorim’s back three system will suit Manchester United‘s current squad pretty neatly, meanwhile.
The former right-back expects Luke Shaw – who impressed on his Red Devils return off the bench against Ipswich – and Leny Yoro to become regular starters under Amorim, providing they can stay clear of the treatment table, alongside the highly-intelligent and highly-versatile Noussair Mazraoui.
Gary Neville predicts big roles for Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United
Luke Shaw, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, Noussair Mazroui and Leny Yoro will be be players under Amorim at United, Neville predicts.
“I think Luke Shaw if he can keep fit,” Neville said when asked which players will benefit most from the Portuguese’s arrival at Old Trafford.
“Because I think, ideally, that left centre-back and right centre-back have got to go out and play as left-back and right-back. We saw Mazraoui do it [against Ipswich].
“I think Ugarte will be a winner, not just because he has played for him before. I think Mainoo and Ugarte, for me, play in midfield. I think they are absolute certs. I think Luke Shaw is a certainty. I think, ultimately, you will end up as Yoro as that right centre-back because of that energy and that pace.
“When played with a back-five under Terry Venables or a back-three under Glenn Hoddle [for England], the outer centre-backs do have to be able to go out wide. So I think the ones who are more flexible and agile will be the winners.”
Neville is less certain, however, about what the future holds for Manchester United’s array of forwards, wingers and attacking midfielders.
Amorim started with Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford as his front three at Portman Road, with Amad Diallo lining up at wing-back and both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee coming on in the second-half.
Neville shares Marcus Rashford ‘concern’ under Ruben Amorim
“I think it’s how you fit in the likes of Rashford, Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes. One thing you know with that system, its that three,” Neville explains. “The two [behind the striker] come inside a little bit. So, you’re wondering about Amad, Garnacho, Rashford, Hojlund, Zirkzee, Fernandes.
“That’s the conundrum. I can’t quite see what’s going to happen.”
Amorim sees Rashford as a striker or as one of the two in behind, though Neville is not quite so confident about the Carrington graduate’s ability to thrive in either role.
“I think, to play centre-forward in a team on your own, you have to be intelligent and understand where to be and when to be there. I don’t think Marcus plays like that, he is more instinctive,” Neville adds, Rashford struggling to influence proceedings at Ipswich even if he did open the scoring following that wonderful Amad assist.
“And you have to be really good at holding the ball up and bring peoiple into play, which I don’t think is his strength either. So I’m not sure how that fits.
“I think Garnacho is probably more suited to come into pockets. So I think that will be a concern to play him on that left-hand side in the position Ruben Amorim likes.”
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