It’s always a relief in a new job to see a familiar face and it was no different for Ruben Amorim when he linked up with former Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte at Manchester United. Both are new to the club and success at Old Trafford could depend on their performances as they ‘suffer’ together.
After United secured a hard-fought, morale-boosting draw against leaders Liverpool and beat Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup, there was a sense of optimism that a key problem had a solution. Then the midfield duo of Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo were overtaken by Southampton and Amorim had to think about how he can achieve his goals with the team he inherited.
There will be no respite on Sunday against Brighton, one of the quickest transition teams in the league, and they could make United endure another difficult 90 minutes but without the missed chances and late collapse.
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Ugarte is 23 and Mainoo is 19, giving Amorim optimism that if the duo reaches their potential, they could be united for years to come. Additional options will be needed as Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are unable to cope with constant running. This is arguably the most demanding role and doing it twice a week would test marathon runners. Amorim wants his players to “suffer” and finish each match without an ounce of extra energy to give, which comes with risks and rewards.
Amad Diallo rescued United against Southampton, but a measly seven points had come from their previous eight Premier League games under Amorim and Thursday’s performance underlined the growing pains, despite the late turnaround.
Ugarte played a vital role in winning the battle for control at Liverpool and put up the same fight as Arsenal were knocked out by 10 men. He seemed to have found his feet in England, but elite football is rarely this generous. After his hard-fought run at Anfield and the Emirates, he was unable to cope with the marauding Saints, being reactionary rather than proactive. His own goal was unfortunate, but mental fatigue may have played a role given he didn’t react quickly enough.
United had searched high and low for someone of the Uruguayan type to break up play and provide a barrier to a porous defense. Being overwhelmed in midfield was all too common under Erik ten Hag and Amorim struggled to remedy that. The players who provide consistency are invaluable. Ugarte on Thursday looked like a car that had lost its auxiliary belt, trying to keep going at full speed until the battery died, the steering and brakes failed and she limped to a stop.
The worst team in the Premier League, with six points from 21 games, showed up in United’s midfield until Ugarte was withdrawn, and should have got something from the game. Amorim’s verdict was that Ugarte was ‘tired’ from the kick-off and that was the basis for his struggle against a team who will surely be playing in the Championship next season.
When Ugarte arrived from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee believed to be in excess of £50m, he endured a tough learning curve amid a chaotic period. Ten Hag started him once in the league out of the six matches for which Ugarte was available, but Amorim quickly leaned on him – he featured in every match of the new manager’s tenure, with the exception of the defeat against Newcastle when he was suspended. His absence was felt in the first half hour when Casemiro and Eriksen failed to cope with the physicality of their opponents, showing why they are so dependent on Ugarte and resting him is not an option .
The inherited midfield mess has been replaced with something akin to strategy with Amorim at the helm, but it relies heavily on stamina. Toby Collyer has enjoyed more minutes in recent weeks as the head coach appreciates his impeccable fitness.
It was clear from the start to Ugarte that he had to adapt physically to the Premier League. He is one of United’s most determined gym users to provide more muscle to cope with the more rigorous nature of the English game compared to his experiences in Portugal and France, as he looks to adapt to change the style, but it will take time. .
United fans have suffered greatly in recent years and now it is their players’ turn under Amorim, but Ugarte shows there is a fine line between pain and pleasure.