Manchester United legend Lee Sharpe has questioned Rúben Amorim’s treatment of one player in particular after a poor start to the season.
Manchester United have struggled this season; they continually find themselves on the wrong side of results despite showing positive signs. A trend that can’t continue for too long if Rúben Amorim is to keep his job at Old Trafford.
Since Amorim joined, he has made several big decisions, with many former first-team players leaving the club. Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford – who were both favourites of Erik ten Hag – were pushed out of the door in the summer transfer window.
Bruno Fernandes hasn’t been sold, but instead, he has been dropped back into the double pivot in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation. While he can play there, the United captain plays his best football as an attacking midfielder and won’t have that chance this season.
This has also dropped Kobbie Mainoo to the bench, meaning one of the best academy talents in decades is left without regular game time, until January at the earliest. Amorim needs to improve soon if he wants fans to forgive him on these calls.
Sharpe questions Amad treatment
Like Fernandes, Amad has been pushed back from his attacking midfield role, but the Ivorian is now playing as a right-wing-back, with Bryan Mbeumo taking his former position.
Former United winger Lee Sharpe has questioned Amorim’s treatment of the “phenomenal” former Atalanta youngster. “When you’re a winger playing wing-back, having to defend from your corner flag, it takes a little bit out of you to go and do it at the other end as well,” he said.
“He was our best player going forward for the early parts of our last season, but then he had that injury. I don’t think it’s great for someone like him to play No. 10, then wing-back, then somewhere else. It throws you off your rhythm a little bit.
“He’s a wide player, so it’s very difficult to tuck in as a No. 10. It’s not doing him any favours. He’s definitely suffered under Amorim’s formation.”
Sharpe added: “His work-rate is phenomenal. That’s not a problem. I think his best place is the final third, going past people, driving at them. I think playing him as a wing-back, he doesn’t get to do as often as he should do.”
Sharpe praises Casemiro for vast improvement
“I think Casemiro improved a lot at the end of last season. He got fitter or changed something didn’t he? He looked a different player to the end of last season to what he did at the start,” said the former United winger.
“He’s still a top-class player. He sees things early, breaks things up really well. I think he would be a good player to play alongside Kobbie [Mainoo], but I do think they need someone else in there to help him.
“Whether it’s a centre-half who has to come in, or a full-back who comes in or one of the No.10s that drops in.
“I think Casemiro and Kobbie would be a good pairing, but you can’t play a two against three, or like City, who played a tight four. They just get outnumbered and bypassed so easily.
“I think Casemiro is the holding player who will allow Kobbie to advance and do more in the final third. It would be a great pairing. It’s just where you fit in Bruno Fernandes in all of that. I would probably pick Casemiro over Ugarte.”
Lee Sharpe was speaking to AceOdds.
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