Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has stood by his controversial team selection after his side squandered a lead to draw with West Ham United at Old Trafford.
Amorim's Substitutions Under Scrutiny
The Red Devils took the lead through Diogo Dalot but failed to secure victory against the relegation-threatened Hammers. Amorim utilised all five of his available substitutions in an attempt to influence the game, but notably, Kobbie Mainoo remained on the bench as an unused substitute.
The changes saw Leny Yoro replace Ayden Heaven at half-time, while Dalot later made way for Patrick Dorgu. In a double switch, Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount came on for Matheus Cunha and Joshua Zirkzee. In injury time, Luke Shaw was replaced by Lisandro Martinez.
Mainoo's Continued Absence
This marks the fourth Premier League game this season where the highly-rated England international has been an unused substitute. Mainoo has not started a match since the Carabao Cup penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town in August, leading to increased speculation about his future at the club.
When asked post-match if he would alter his substitutions given another chance, Amorim was defiant. "No," he stated. "We are losing because of the second balls, sometimes it’s not more men in front that you are going to win the ball. We had more men to put in the offence? Who? Who would be more offensive?"
The Manager's Reasoning
After Mainoo's name was suggested by a reporter, Amorim elaborated on his tactical thinking. "Yes, it was the second ball and I was worried with Matheus," he explained. "I know Bruno [Fernandes] reached the box really well, Mason Mount is playing in his position, they were trying to push us, Bryan [Mbeumo] has a lot of pace to try to win the ball in one transition, so that was my idea."
Amorim also pushed back against the intense focus on one player, reminding media of his entire squad's ambitions. "You talk a lot about Kobbie," he said. "I have more players in my squad that want to be in the World Cup, so it's a little bit unfair."
He did, however, hint at a potential role for the academy graduate. "I put Kobbie [in on Monday] because he's really good near the box, to have a guy like Bruno and him, they can find spaces near the box and score goals. So that was my idea. So, I will use Kobbie and the rest of them to try for the team to win. So, I'm not just focused on one individual."
The ongoing situation has fuelled rumours of a potential January loan move away from Old Trafford for Mainoo, with clubs like Napoli reportedly interested in the midfielder who started for England in the Euro 2024 final.
