Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has used the international break to take a look at the club’s young talent and has reportedly been impressed by one academy star in particular
Manchester United are preparing for a return to Premier League action after a long period off due to the international break. United will face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday after what will be a 16-day break since the comfortable 3-0 win over Leicester last time out.
The international break arguably came at a good time for United, who were extremely thin on the ground against Leicester due to injuries. Those on the sidelines have been afforded time to get back fit for the upcoming matches.
Ruben Amorim is in desperate need of some consistency as he tries to move United up the table from their lowly position of 13th. With the side having been knocked out of the FA Cup, they were given the weekend off to prepare for high-flying Forest.
The pressure is on, but Amorim has been using the international break to have a look at the talent among the club’s youth ranks. It could prove a fruitful avenue, too, with reports suggesting that he’s been impressed. Here are the latest headlines from the world of United.
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‘Next Saka’ close to debut
Young United star Bendito Mantato – who has been compared to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka – has been turning heads and is nearing a breakthrough into the first team. Mantato has been training with the United first-team while many players have been away on international duty, joining the likes of Chido Obi, Harry Amass, Reece Munro, Godwill Kukonki and Jim Thwaites.
The 17-year-old winger earned his promotion by scoring seven goals in 13 appearances for United’s under-18s, while he also scored the winner in their FA Youth Cup quarter-final victory over Arsenal.
Not only is he closing in on a debut, the England under-17 international is reportedly in line for a new contract in the coming weeks. Ayden Heaven, Obi and Amass have earned a few minutes under Amorim in recent weeks and it seems that Mantato is the next cab off the rank.
Amorim labelled a ‘clown’
One of Ruben Amorim’s former team-mates has expressed surprise that he has risen to become Manchester United manager. Roderick Miranda played with him at Benfica and did not see Amorim’s move into coaching post-retirement due to his personality.
“I never thought he would become a coach!” Miranda told Flashscore. “Not because of his football skills or his intelligence, but because he was the changing room clown.
“He had a really fun personality and was always doing something to make people laugh. When I heard he started as a coach I was a little bit surprised and wondered how the guy I played with could become so serious!”
Injury update
Things are looking up for Amorim following the conclusion of the international break, with five players back in training after injuries. Defenders Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Leny Yoro, as well as goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Altay Bayindir, were spotted training at Carrington on Friday.
United have been severely hampered by injuries in recent weeks, with defence particularly hard hit. The bench for the 3-0 win over Leicester a few weeks ago had some unfamiliar names on it, while Amass was needed off the bench after Heaven was stretchered off.
Shaw has been plagued by injuries in recent years and hasn’t featured since the 4-0 win over Everton in December. Maguire and Yoro were shorter-term absentees, but their returns will be just as warmly welcomed. Meanwhile, the injuries to Heaton and Bayindir had left Elyh Harrison as the second-choice keeper for the Leicester game.
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