It is typical of Manchester United, really, that Ruben Amorim arrives at Old Trafford facing a selection headache due to a series of injury concerns in one key position.
Leny Yoro could make his Man United debut at Ipswich Town on Sunday, after over three months of waiting. Mason Mount and Kobbie Mainoo are in contention too, having recovered from recent set-backs of their own.
But Manchester United’s options at left-back – or left-wing back, really, given Ruben Amorim’s preference for a 3-4-2-1 set-up – remain as limited now as they did during the final months of Erik ten Hag’s time in charge.
Tyrell Malacia is stepping up his Man United return, featuring in first-team training while playing the full 90 minutes against Huddersfield Town in the EFL Trophy. Luke Shaw is back on the Carrington turf too.
But this weekend’s trip to Portman Road will come too soon for both Malacia and Shaw. A place on the bench for either player is not out of the question, but Amorim is unlikely to risk throwing either player straight into his XI with match sharpness in such short supply.
Ruben Amorim says Manchester United must be ‘careful’ with Luke Shaw
“We have to see [who is available]. We have one more training [session],” Amorim said during his pre-match press conference on Friday, via Man United’s official website.
“Luke, for example, is feeling fine. But we have to build his fitness during games, so we have to be careful. I think he’s a very good player, so I will take care of him.
“I want these kinds of players that are important in our squad for a long period and not just for a game.”
According to reports, Amorim is keen to give Luke Shaw every chance to prove his fitness even if a new left-back remains a priority for Man United heading into 2025.
“We have some guys returning from injury, so we had some moments together, working in that indoor pitch [on] tactical work,” Amorim adds.
“We have to manage the load during this week with some players from national teams [as well]. But we are ready to face Ipswich.”
Ruben Amorim ready to try out Man United stars in new roles
The likelihood is that either Diogo Dalot or Noussair Mazraoui will be tasked with stepping into that left-sided wing-back berth against Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich.
Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford may be options too, albeit one that may require a more defensively-secure option providing balance on the opposite flank.
Amorim, speaking to United legend Gary Neville, admits that he may look to reinvent one of United’s more attack-minded players as a wing-back while Shaw and Malacia enter the final stages of their gruelling recoveries.
“If you are putting Dalot [in the starting XI all the time], Mazraoui all the time – Malacia is returning, Shaw cannot do it at the moment – we have to adapt some players,” Amorim explains.
“This is also the hard part [when] starting in the middle of the season.”
Amorim has a number of other selection decisions to answer before that trip to East Anglia.
Marcus Rashford, Joshua Zirkzee or Rasmus Hojlund are all candidates to start in that number nine role, while it remains to be seen if he sees Kobbie Mainoo playing as one of those duel tens or as a more deep-lying midfielder.
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