Man Utd: Amad Diallo, Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford among the winners and losers under Ruben Amorim so far
Amad Diallo, Harry Maguire, Noussair Mazraoui and Rasmus Hojlund have made positive starts under Ruben Amorim's management at Manchester United - but what does the future hold for Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen?
Monday 16 December 2024 13:19, UK
Ruben Amorim's reign at Manchester United has brought mixed results - and within the squad there are players who have enhanced their reputations and others who have slipped badly down the pecking order.
In the aftermath of a crucial Manchester derby victory for Amorim and United, we pick out some of the players who have stepped up under the Portuguese and look set for key roles this season - and those who have found themselves on the fringes and facing questions about what comes next...
WINNERS
Amad Diallo
The standout star of the Amorim project so far. Whether he's at wing-back or in the frontline, Diallo looks tailor-made for the new head coach and the system he wants to play at United. His starring role in the win at Man City merely underlined the point: Diallo is going to be a key player for Amorim's United.
Bruno Fernandes described him as "unstoppable" after that Etihad display, while he's now up to five goal involvements under Amorim, having featured in all seven fixtures the new boss has taken charge of.
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It's a big shift in responsibility being given to the 22-year-old, considering Erik ten Hag gave him just 12 appearances and three starts last season (with all those starts in May). But Diallo - who delivered a huge FA Cup extra-time winner against Liverpool for the Dutchman - is a clear winner from Amorim's arrival.
Harry Maguire
Maguire's Manchester United career has been in serious doubt on more than one occasion over the past couple of years - but after the derby win on Sunday he revealed there have been "really positive" contract talks to take his deal beyond the end of this season, while Amorim called the role in the centre of United's back three as the "perfect" role for him.
He now looks like he will be a key player for Amorim.
Injury issues may have meant he was on the fringes in the opening games of Amorim's reign but he has started both of their big away games at Arsenal and Man City, playing at the heart of a back three - the system in which he produced his best performances for England and Gareth Southgate.
On Sunday he was top for interceptions and clearances. His physicality and ball-playing ability are well known. Ten Hag may have told Maguire he could leave a couple of summers ago but Amorim appears to be shaping his defence around the former United captain.
Noussair Mazraoui
Noussair Mazraoui has emerged as one of the most obvious winners under Amorim. Signed for £12.8m from Bayern Munich, Mazraoui's displays so far have placed him in the conversation for one of the signings of the summer.
After his performance against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League, Amorim described the Morocco international as the club's "future" as Mazraoui starred in Amorim's first victory as United boss. Following the game, Amorim also hailed the full-back's ability to fill various roles. "He's a top player. He understands the game," Amorim said.
"He knows how to attack, he's very technical, he's very good defensively and he's very good one-on-one. He's a modern player. I think he's the future of our team. When you think about him, you think we need more players like Nous that can control the tempo, they are really, really good and comfortable with the ball."
Mazraoui's versatility has seen him perform in either wing-back role while also fitting into the back three. Mazraoui has made a seamless transition into life under Amorim.
Rasmus Hojlund
Hojlund has plundered five goals in six appearances for Amorim - as many as he had managed in his previous 25 games for United before the Portuguese arrived.
Amorim's rotation policy saw him benched after scoring twice against Bodo/Glimt and again after scoring versus Nottingham Forest, but he backed up his match-winning double as a substitute against Viktoria Plzen with a hard-running display at City - and on another day could have won a spot-kick for his side.
Hojlund could well continue to share the No 9 workload with Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford, but the early signs suggest United's newfound poet will play a leading role for Amorim.
LOSERS
Marcus Rashford
Rashford had a point to prove after the previous international break with a new club manager in the dugout and critics of how he had spent his time while not involved with England. There was a swift and positive response to that situation with a fine goal seconds into the Amorim reign before a double against Everton hinted at a player getting back on track.
But his direction has detoured worryingly since then. Amorim's explanation of why Rashford had been cut from the squad to face Man City was damning, and must serve as a wake-up call to the talented but often frustrating forward.
The talk of a January exit is only ramping up. That would have been unthinkable for United supporters after his 30-goal 2022/23 season but on the back of a poor campaign last year - when off-field issues made headlines - Rashford's brief spark last month needs to ignite again if he is to prove to Amorim he can be relied upon in the long term.
Alejandro Garnacho
"How does Alejandro Garnacho fit in?" Was the question most fans asked themselves ahead of Amorim's arrival. Some had him at wing-back, others were adamant he could fill one of the forward-three positions. However, early signs suggest that it's a question that has remained unanswered.
Garnacho was another of the key omissions from the Manchester derby squad but had featured in every game under Amorim prior. In four starts under United's Portuguese boss, Garnacho has only managed one goal in United's Europa League win against Bodo/Glimt while playing as part of the front three.
However, with Amorim favouring a more creative player on either side of his striker, the 20-year-old has fallen down the pecking order.
As United chased the game late on against Viktoria Plzen, Garnacho was introduced as a left-wing back but with his defensive contributions questionable, the Argentine may find the position difficult to adapt to in the longer term.
Casemiro
Casemiro is yet to fulfil a full 90 minutes under new boss Amorim. When he was named in Amorim's first starting XI at Ipswich, it raised some eyebrows as his selection meant that Manuel Ugarte, who had played under Amorim previously at Sporting, was on the bench.
Casemiro had appeared to be building momentum prior to Amorim's arrival under former interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy.
While the Dutchman was in charge at Old Trafford, Casemiro scored twice and started each of the four games, putting an underwhelming spell under previous boss Ten Hag behind him. However, Casemiro is now on a run of three successive league games as an unused substitute, which will be unfamiliar territory for the former Real Madrid player.
Christian Eriksen
Eriksen was also one of the first names called upon in Amorim's first starting XI but hasn't featured since. Instead, the return of Kobbie Mainoo from injury and Bruno Fernandes' deployment in a slightly deeper role has rendered Eriksen surplus to requirements.
Like Casemiro, Eriksen also enjoyed a renaissance earlier this campaign where he managed four goals and three assists across appearances in the Carabao Cup and Europa League.
However, despite potentially having some attributes that Amorim likes, the physicality and athleticism of some of his colleagues mean they are better prepared for his system. Eriksen's lack of inclusion this early under Amorim will likely have some influence as to whether the Dane decides to extend his stay at Old Trafford, with his current deal due to expire in the summer.
