Owen Hargreaves has admitted that he is ‘interested’ to see “what happens” to one Manchester United star under the tutelage of Red Devils manager Ruben Amorim.
Ruben Amorim led the Red Devils for the first time last weekend and the Manchester United manager oversaw a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Following on from the Premier League encounter last Sunday, Amorim took charge of United for the first time at Old Trafford for the Bodo/Glimt clash on Thursday.
The 39-year-old Portuguese manager picked up his first win as Red Devils boss, with United coming from behind to secure a 3-2 victory in the Europa League tie.
Amorim arrived at United at the start of the November international break after the Red Devils triggered his £9.25m release clause at Sporting CP.
The United manager agreed to sign for the Premier League club earlier this month and Amorim replaced ex-Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford dugout.
Erik ten Hag was sacked in late October after United’s disappointing start to the season and Ruud van Nistelrooy took charge for a four-match spell.
Hargreaves talks Man Utd star
Ruben Amorim has wasted no time implementing his key formation style at Manchester United after his arrival from Sporting CP.
The former Sporting CP manager has opted for a three-man backline and mixed up his midfield pairings for the win over Bodo/Glimt and the draw against Ipswich Town.
Amorim has been without United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who has been sidelined with an injury, for his midfield experiments so far.
Kobbie Mainoo enjoyed a breakout season under Erik ten Hag in the 2023-24 campaign and has become a key midfield influence for the Red Devils.
Amorim is tipped to use the 19-year-old United star for his midfield, but the Red Devils boss could even turn to Mainoo to play in an advanced position on the pitch.
Speaking after the 3-2 win over Bodo/Glimt, Owen Hargreaves admitted that Mainoo will “almost walk” into the United midfield once he returns from injury.
“It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Kobbie Mainoo, such a special young player, you’d think he’d kind of almost walk into that midfield,” he said on TNT Sports, as per the Metro.
“[Manuel] Ugarte I thought played really well today, there are a lot of people who are going to get opportunities.”
Gary Neville backs Mainoo under Amorim
United legend Gary Neville, much like Hargreaves, believes that Kobbie Mainoo will fit into the system that Amorim is keen to deploy at Old Trafford.
“I think Luke Shaw if he can remain fit,” he told Sky Sports.
“As I think that left centre-back needs to eventually be able to play out as a left-back, so he is well suited to do both.
“I think Ugarte will be a winner, just because I think in midfield, not just because he’s played for him before.
“I think Mainoo and Ugarte for me, playing midfield, I think they’re absolute certs. I think Luke Shaw’s a certainty to play. I think he would be any way in a back four or a back three.
“I think ultimately you’ll end up with [Leny] Yoro as the right-centre-back, I think just because of that energy and that pace. So, I think the ones who are more flexible and agile are going to be the winners.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
