Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is beginning to settle into his new surroundings and there are already a number of key decisions to make ahead of his Premier League bow against Ipswich Town.
Taking over during an international can have its positives, such as an extended period to implement new ideas, and negatives – including a depleted squad due to international involvement. For the players, who were on the periphery under Erik ten Hag, and those who have endured tough spells on the treatment table, they have been afforded the luxury of staking their claim for the new man in charge.
Amorim inherits a squad, fresh off the back of a busy summer of spending, but also finds himself sifting through an injury list. Harry Maguire is still a few weeks away from first-team action after a calf injury, while Tyrell Malacia made important strides in his recovery from a long-term problem with minutes for the under-21s.
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With the excitement around Amorim’s opening months in charge, a series of training pictures from sessions this week merely whet the appetite of the Old Trafford masses. There were sights of Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, Malacia and the welcome return of Kobbie Mainoo – as well as an opportunity for several youngsters to brush shoulders with the first-team.
Bruno Fernandes returned earlier than expected from Portugal’s UEFA Nations League stint, aided by suspension, but the new head coach will welcome returnees in their dribs and drabs before Sunday’s showdown at Portman Road. Lisandro Martinez was also a returnee during the international break after a back issue flared up, while on duty with Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina.
The United medical team will be keeping a close eye on the treatment table. In recent weeks Yoro returned to first-team training in recent weeks but United will have to monitor his workload after the summer signing picked up an injury during pre-season and has yet to play a competitive minute.
Equally with Luke Shaw, who was stepped up his bid to be a first-team option in recent weeks, after a long injury layoff, he too hasn’t featured for United this season – with his last game coming back in February, while Mount has played only three times in the Premier League this season. Amorim faces an exciting but also an important period in his early United tenure and one of the biggest tasks he has is ensuring the players are managed properly to avoid risk of further, longer term problems, with three selection decisions sticking out already.
