Ruben Amorim has had quite a baptism of fire at Manchester United in his first two months, dealing with everything from unhappy players to wildly inconsistent results.
For every win at the Etihad Stadium, there’s been a dispiriting loss to Bournemouth at Old Trafford, and for every success story like Harry Maguire, there’s been a Marcus Rashford situation.
Ruben Amorim has faced many tests at Man Utd so a home game against the league’s bottom-placed team shouldn’t give him sleepless nights.
Inconsistency questions will be answered but his biggest challenge vs Southampton is one he hasn’t tackled yet at United. It was never needed until now.
Ruben Amorim’s first Man Utd game without Diogo Dalot
It is remarkable to see that for all the rotation and chances Amorim has given to players in the Man Utd squad, there’s one player who has featured in every game.
Diogo Dalot has started every game under Amorim bar one, when he came on at half-time against Bodo in the Europa League.
Dalot has played mainly as the left wing-back as an emergency option for a position that United didn’t have any reliable option.
He has also operated on the right and has immediately become the first name on the teamsheet, by default as well as deservedly through his form,
Availability is the best ability that rings true for United’s left wing-back spot so Dalot’s presence was a source of calm for the Man Utd manager in a squad that had too many variables.
However, after Dalot’s sending-off against Arsenal, this is set to be Amorim’s first game as United manager where Dalot won’t play a single minute.
How can Man Utd replace Dalot vs Southampton?
The straight answer to replace Dalot will be to recall Tyrell Malacia to the starting XI, especially after he looked good against Arsenal in the FA Cup after coming off the bench.
Malacia has been linked with an exit from Man Utd so that opportunity could also serve as a last-chance saloon for him to save his Man Utd career like Altay Bayindir seems to have done after the Arsenal game.
Amorim would probably be averse to moving Noussair Mazraoui from his right wing-back spot but an adventurous solution can be had there too.
If Amad has shaken off his knock, then he can play in Mazraoui’s place, with the Moroccan taking Dalot’s place on the left.
That would allow Alejandro Garnacho to continue in the first XI after finding a recent purple patch of form.
One thing’s for certain, it is a challenge that Amorim hasn’t had to tackle so far. He’ll hope the value of Dalot is not realised in this game!
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