One of the frustrating elements of Manchester United’s season has been the way past mistakes have been repeated.
Manchester United fans have been through it all over the past decade, with current boss Erik ten Hag the fifth permanent manager since Sir Alex Ferguson‘s retirement.
And what we have seen play out this season has involved some of the same errors being repeated, which has led to fans fearing for the manager’s future.
One of the errors we have seen in the past has been favouritism towards certain players and not giving squad players a fair chance, especially amid poor results.
This can lead to squad disharmony, some believe it to be a factor in Jadon Sancho‘s disengagement, with some players even perhaps questioning why they were brought to the club in the first place.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfer deals for January 2024, ins, outs, loan moves
Altay Bayindir waiting for chance
One player patiently waiting for an opportunity is summer signing Altay Bayindir, a £4.3 million signing from Fenerbahce.
Bayindir has not played a single game since joining, with Erik ten Hag so far declining the chance to rotate him in Carabao Cup or Champions League games.
The upcoming FA Cup match against Wigan Athletic appears an ideal opportunity for Bayindir to mix in, ahead of a potential Premier League showdown against Tottenham a week later.
United plotting Onana delay
According to The Mail, Manchester United are planning to delay Andre Onana’s travel to the African Cup of Nations.
This could include him staying to play against Wigan, and then even playing against Tottenham, before flying out to play for Cameroon 24 hours later.
Put trust in Bayindir
We actually hope Manchester United don’t do this. Altay Bayindir is a player who needs a chance, and these games are the ideal matches to bed him in.
An FA Cup tie against a lower-division opponent is a great place for Bayindir to make his debut.
And he must get game time before potential Premier League involvement against Spurs, just in case the later Onana delay is unsuccessful.
United hope he will be needed for neither, which seems disrespectful towards him.
Yes, Andre Onana is Erik ten Hag’s first choice, but he has been far from perfect, and Bayindir is a Turkey international who started in their recent win over Germany.
United spent £4.3 million on Bayindir, and if the club do not intend to use him, then they should have just kept Tom Heaton as number two, and promoted youngster Radek Vitek to third choice.
Not utilising Bayindir over these two games would be a dispiriting snub for him. And could leave him unprepared for a potentially tougher FA Cup fourth-round match.
Imagine the circumstances where Andre Onana makes a mistake that costs United in one of these games. The reaction won’t be pretty. Bayindir, there would be a little more sympathy.
This might sound like some favouritism from United supporters – but it is Erik ten Hag’s favouritism towards Onana, and potentially unwise squad management, which has the potential to cause a problem.
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