22/12/2024

United could give two debuts to players everyone is talking about

Hace 3 meses

United could give two debuts to players everyone is talking about

Man Utd take on Barnsley in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday and two youngsters could make their full debuts.

Man Utd take on Barnsley in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday and two youngsters could make their full debuts.

Harry Amass and Toby Collyer were the breakout stories for Manchester United this summer.

Amass started against Arsenal, Real Betis and Liverpool on tour in the USA and Collyer started in two of those games before coming on from the bench in the Community Shield.

The midfielder subsequently replaced Casemiro at half-time in the defeat to Liverpool before the international break and held his own on a difficult afternoon for United, winning three tackles, making three recoveries, winning seven duels and completing all of his attempted dribbles.

Collyer became the 251st academy player to make a debut for United in the Community Shield last month and his next challenge is to make his full debut, which means starting a game.

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Amass is yet to make an appearance for the first-team - from the bench or a start - but many fans would like to see him and Collyer be handed their full debuts on Tuesday night.

United are set to welcome Barnsley to Old Trafford in the third round of the Carabao Cup and that fixture is the perfect opportunity to give Amass and Collyer their first senior starts.

Barnsley are seventh in England's third division and United should be head and shoulders above the South Yorkshire club when they visit Manchester, meaning one or two places in the starting team can be reserved for prospects who are on the cusp of the first-team squad.

Erik ten Hag is still expected to pick a reasonably strong team to get the job done - he isn't known for the major rotation of his players - but starting Amass and Collyer would have merit.

Although Amass is still raw and has aspects of his game to improve, like all young players, he demonstrated in pre-season that he is ready to make his debut and it would be great to see him start at left-back, especially since Noussair Mazraoui appeared to pick up a knock at the weekend.

Ten Hag confirmed in his press conference on Monday that Mazraoui would be available to face Barnsley, but overlooking Amass to start Mazraoui with a potential knock is inadvisable.

Amass is yet to make his debut.

Considering the circumstances, there is no better time to give Amass his debut. Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are still sidelined with their respective injuries and Mazraoui might not be at 100 per cent, despite being available, so it makes little sense to play him when Amass is waiting in the wings.

The case to start Amass is obvious and a large section of supporters would also like to see Collyer start following his positive appearances from the bench in the last few weeks.

A source said this summer that Ten Hag 'really likes' Collyer and another source said that he records 'freakish' running stats in training that are only bettered by Bruno Fernandes.

Collyer is highly regarded within the club. That has been true since his arrival from Brighton in 2022 and a source at United has admitted they were surprised to get the chance to sign him - but they were delighted that they did.

The youngster's athleticism has impressed coaches and he is viewed as a player who can play a prominent role in the first-team squad, which could see him start against Barnsley.

Collyer proved he can operate at first-team level throughout pre-season and with his recent substitute appearances, so naming him in the starting team on Tuesday wouldn't be a risk.

The only possible spanner in the works for Collyer could be the arrival of Manuel Ugarte, who needs minutes in his legs to get up to full fitness after his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.

Collyer and Ugarte play in the same position at the base of the midfield, but perhaps they could play together against Barnsley, with a more creative influence sitting ahead of them.

Amass seems more likely to start considering the lack of depth at left-back and that Ugarte could be given his first start, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them both make the XI.

It would be a popular decision among supporters to see them both from the first whistle.

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