If Manchester United were concerned that Manuel Ugarte would need some time to get up to speed, then perhaps those fears were a little overblown.
The £42 million deadline day arrival from Paris Saint-Germain needed only a few minutes on the pitch to shake off any rustiness during his first competitive outings of the current campaign.
Hailed by Marcelo Bielsa for his ball-winning prowess, Manuel Ugarte was arguably the stand-out performer in successive goalless draws during Uruguay’s World Cup qualification campaign.
Ugarte won 75 per cent of his duels both on the ground and in the air during Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Paraguay. Manchester United’s new number 25 then showcased another, often underrated, side of his game against Venezuela.
Ugarte feels that he is far better on the ball than he has been given credit for.
And his ball-progression talents were clear to see as he fizzed a pinpoint through ball in behind the Venezuela defence for the onrushing Facundo Pellistri at the Maturin Stadium.
Manuel Ugarte nearing Manchester United debut
Erik ten Hag warned the Man United faithful that it could take weeks or even months to get Ugarte fully up to speed in his new home.
But with the former Sporting Lisbon enforcer playing down concerns over his match sharpness and also claiming that a fever he is currently suffering from did not affect his performance against Venezuela, a Red Devils debut could be on the cards against Southampton this coming Saturday lunchtime.
“Now, I feel a bit down. But I felt fine during the match despite the heat,” Ugarte tells AUF TV, battling through an illness which had initially made him doubtful for the second of two September fixtures.
“Yesterday, I had a bit of a fever.”
Ten Hag may have reservations about throwing Ugarte straight into his Man United XI at St Mary’s. Perhaps an EFL Cup third-round clash with League One Barnsley would be a more sensible, low-pressure starting point.
Then again, with Casemiro’s disasterclass against Liverpool still fresh in the memory, perhaps the embattled Man United boss will instead choose to fast-track Ugarte’s involvement amid growing concerns from the Old Trafford boardroom, per The Guardian.
“This last month was a bit complicated because it was a difficult negotiation. Luckily, Manchester United made a commitment and made a great effort to bring me,” adds Ugarte, looking back on months of speculation which dominated his summer.
“Now, I will have to prove myself on the pitch and I am really looking forward to it.”
Toby Collyer could have a part to play against Southampton
If Ten Hag opts to introduce Ugarte slowly, that could mean a full Premier League debut for another tough-tackling midfielder.
Toby Collyer was one of very few who came out of that Liverpool drubbing with his reputation impact. And, after replacing a hapless Casemiro at half-time, Collyer’s energy off the ball and his sensible, safe use of possession could put the 20-year-old in line for a bigger role against newly-promoted Southampton.
“He could do two jobs in one, and his ball retention was different class,” Collyer’s former Brighton youth coach Mark Beard tells the Manchester Evening News, arguing that the 20-year-old could be the perfect foil for Kobbie Mainoo.
“You don’t get midfielders like him anymore. He was sort of like (N’Golo) Kante for Leicester.
“You need balance in a team. If you had three Kobbie Mainoos, you can’t play them all. You need a combination, and Toby will do stuff Mainoo won’t. He will break the play up and get the ball to Mainoo.”
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