Rúben Amorim has explained why he won’t make an obvious starting XI change once three of his Manchester United stars fly to AFCON.
Manchester United are set to lose Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, and Noussair Mazraoui to the Africa Cup of Nations later this month.
While injuries have limited Mazraoui to a peripheral role at Old Trafford this season, the impact of the other two has been immense.
Mbeumo leads United’s scoring charts with six goals across all competitions, while Amad has become a vital presence at right wing-back in recent months.
Under Rúben Amorim, the duo have developed a devastating partnership down the right flank, and their upcoming AFCON absences will be a significant setback for the side.
Amorim has a wing-back problem during December
While losing Mbeumo is the biggest hit to United’s front line and goalscoring abilitites, another major issue Amorim will face during the next few weeks is who to play at wing-back.
Too often, United have looks sluggish and defensive out wide, with those such as Diogo Dalot and Mazraoui acting like full-backs too often. Even Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, brought in for his attacking abilities, has looked more comfortable defending instead.
Amad has been the only one who has shown real attacking threat in the position on either flank, which has led many to point toward the rather obvious idea of using Luke Shaw as a wing-back on the left hand side.
Shaw, traditionally a left-back, is known for his speed, power, and brilliany delivery – all qualities that are essential in a wing-back, although there have been quetsions over his fitness levles in the positoin, consdiering the number of mucsl innjruies in his legs over the last decade.
Why Shaw will not play at wing-back
Speaking on Wednesday afternoon, Amorim was asked about Shaw’s fantastic form this seaosn, with the player keeping fit and starting all 13 Premier League games despite his previous injury record.
After stating Shaw underwent ‘special consideration’ at the beginning oft he seaosn, the Untied head coach went on to say that he the player has adapted really well to the left centre-back positoin.
“He adapts really well to that position because sometimes he’s playing with the ball like a full-back, but he’s defending deeper,” AMorim said. “He’s really smart.
“For me, I said already, I think he’s a world-class player. Of course, he needs more continuity, like he’s showing this season. We are playing just one game per week. That helps a lot, if he needs three days to recover – he’s not needing, no – but if he needs, we can give him [it].
“So, I think it’s everything combined. We are not taking special measures for him in this moment, but we had to do it in the beginning [when] he was starting to have more minutes.”
When further asked if it has become too demanding for him to play at wing-back, Amorim instead stated that the main reason for Shaw not playing on the flank is that he has not had time to train in the position, although he would be ready to start him there if desperate times call for desperate measures.
“No, no, no. It’s different,” he continued. “You have to train there.
“So, before you think to put a different player in that position, you need to train there, or he needs to do some minutes and then he needs to come off or return to a different position, but he’s ready to, if we need, and maybe we are going to need. In this system, he can play there.”
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