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It’s just over two weeks since Manchester United brought the curtain down on 2024 with a disastrous defeat to Newcastle, their fourth successive loss in all competitions, but already there is a sense that this year will be better.
Since that 2-0 reverse, United have put in positive performances at Liverpool and Arsenal. They earned a share of the spoils in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield and then knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup at the Emirates. Momentum needs to be maintained in more run-of-the-mill fixtures against Southampton and Brighton at Old Trafford this week.
It’s certainly been an encouraging two weeks for Ruben Amorim. He is beginning to settle on his strongest XI, with just one outfield change from Anfield to the Emirates. His team looked good in possession in the first of those games and defended with commitment when reduced to 10 men against Arsenal.
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There are plenty of theories as to where the improvement has come from. The fact Amorim has had two free midweeks to get his ideas across on the training pitches has been crucial, and there has been a noticeable change in the attitude and mentality of his side on the pitch.
In terms of that strongest team, Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo appear to be forming the axis in midfield, with Bruno Fernandes and Amad in front of them. Against Newcastle, injuries and suspensions forced Amorim to turn to Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in midfield.
That partnership of 32-year-olds was overpowered by Newcastle and it is telling that neither Casemiro nor Eriksen have got off the bench at Anfield and the Emirates. Both players are likely to depart the club this summer at the latest.
Against Liverpool, Amorim made only three changes, and only one was in the midfield area, with Alejandro Garnacho replacing Mainoo. At Arsenal, he made four subs, and two of them came in those box midfield roles, with Amad replacing Garnacho and the lesser-spotted Toby Collyer coming on for Mainoo.
United were down to 10 men when those changes were made, with 10 minutes of normal time to go, and with backs to the wall and plenty of physicality required, it probably made sense to turn to 20-year-old Collyer rather than Casemiro or Eriksen. Amorim valued energy rather than experience.
It was Collyer’s first senior appearance since starting at left-back in the 7-0 Carabao Cup success against Barnsley in September. He missed some action with an injury and was unavailable at the start of the Amorim era, but he is now trying to make up for lost time.
Amorim is ready to use him more often, raising his pace and work ethic as positive attributes when asked about the former Brighton youngster by MUTV this week.
“For me that is clear,” he said of Collyer’s first-team involvement. “He’s here training with the team, he’s part of the squad, he has really good abilities, he has really good pace, he’s really humble, he works a lot, so he’s one more option.”
This week, the question against Southampton and Brighton will be where he stands in that list of options. Presuming he is on the bench once again with Casemiro and Eriksen, experienced midfielders with impressive CVs, who gets called on first.
Amorim could look to rotate again with two games in four days, and Collyer was certainly impressive when he came on at Arsenal. It was the most pressurised moment of his career so far, and he dealt with it superbly.
Over the next few days, we could see whether he has leapfrogged Casemiro and Eriksen in Amorim’s thinking.