Toby Collyer’s cameo against Arsenal suggests he has the energy and athleticism Amorim desires

Thirty-nine minutes of hard work reminded Manchester United fans of Toby Collyer’s qualities.

The 21-year-old — who joined United’s academy from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022 — impressed with his ability to cover large amounts of space when defending against Arsenal in their FA Cup tie on Sunday.

As the 10 men of United battled their way through the latter stages of the game in north London, Ruben Amorim made the bold decision to opt for the youthful energy of Collyer when replacing Kobbie Mainoo in midfield, rather than opting for the experience of Casemiro or Christian Eriksen. Collyer repaid that faith with an impressive defensive performance across the final stages of regulation time and 30 minutes of extra time.

Collyer impressed during his energetic cameo at Arsenal on Sunday (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

Initially paired with Manuel Ugarte in central midfield, Collyer made eight defensive actions against Arsenal on Sunday, half of which were in and around his own penalty area (as one would expect for a team down to 10 men, the midfielder made three clearances into row Z).

There was also a cluster of tackles and aerial duels further up the pitch as he tried to unsettle Arsenal’s build-up play, as well as forays out to the left to support Tyrell Malacia at wing-back.

When backs were against the wall, Collyer was one of several United players willing to do the dirty work and stem the tide of Arsenal attacks. A penalty shootout victory and fourth-round tie against Leicester City made for a rich reward.

“Toby Collyer was excellent when he came on,” said Rio Ferdinand of the performance following the game on his YouTube channel. “The energy levels were huge, through the roof, a testament to him.”

Bruno Fernandes also paid tribute to the academy graduate on social media, sharing an Instagram post from Collyer’s account with the caption, “Really well-deserved chance kid. Keep it going.”

It was a performance the midfielder will look to build on. An injury sustained playing for England Under-20s in mid-October meant Collyer missed the final weeks of Erik ten Hag’s spell at the club, as well as the entirety of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s interim period in charge of the club. It also meant he was behind the curve at the start of Amorim’s tenure but he has caught up to speed since, featuring in four matchday squads as an unused substitute, before his appearance against Arsenal. He has played only 205 senior-level minutes for United this season across four competitions — including the Community Shield — and has been an unused substitute in 10 fixtures. 

Collyer impressed against Arsenal but a limited sample size of games means predicting his potential comes with caveats. Collyer’s running statistics at the club have been described by one staff member as “freakish”, with the defensive midfielder first grabbing the attention of Ten Hag in February 2024 when he was called up to senior team training.

The Dutchman enjoyed Collyer’s energy and aggressive tackling and was present for the midfielder’s contract signing in July last year — a rarity for academy players at the time. After featuring in multiple matches during United’s pre-season, including the Community Shield, he was tipped as a potential first-team player for 2024-25, with the club opting against sending him out on loan. 

When Collyer did make his Premier League debut it was as a second-half substitute for Casemiro during the 3-0 defeat by Liverpool. He performed adequately despite difficult circumstances and a tactical approach from Ten Hag that placed significant responsibility on the team’s central midfielders. His next appearance — in United’s 7-0 Carabao Cup victory over Barnsley a week later — saw him play left-back.

Collyer has played as a No 6-style defensive midfielder, a No 10 and a shuttling box-to-box player for United at Premier League 2 youth level, having joined the club as a second-year scholar on the recommendation of Justin Cochrane, then the club’s head of coaching and development who had worked with him at international level.

His best role will become clear with more game time, but his ability to receive and retain possession in deeper areas before carrying it forward earned plaudits during his time at Brighton and now United.

Collyer was on Brighton’s books before moving to United in 2022 (Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Collyer’s athletic endeavour, ability to cover ground defensively and outstanding aerobic endurance at a higher level were apparent in United’s pre-season fixture with Rosenborg in July but he did not display the sort of progressive passing needed to make him an easy fit within Ten Hag’s senior team.

Amorim’s arrival and the subsequent switch to a 3-4-2-1 have changed things, though. As discussed in this piece on Mainoo, the Portuguese head coach has recalibrated the side, with the majority of early build-up now being taken care of by the three centre-backs and wing-backs ahead of them. Amorim’s repeated mentions of physicality and desire for consistency in application have been telling. The remainder of United’s season will likely be defined by where, when, how, and how often his players run.

This need for greater physicality across the squad should suit Collyer, who could serve as a rotational option in central midfield, or perhaps even as a wing-back. If he can prove himself to be a consistent progressive passer over longer distances (recent games have seen Amorim implore his midfielders to make more switches of play), then he could even go from a rotational option to a potential starter.

The midfielder’s contract expires in June 2027, with the option of an extra year. The club has no plans to loan him out this month and, given the unconvincing form of Eriksen and Casemiro, Collyer could feature in more matches. He is not yet the finished product. Like many others within United’s current squad, Collyer is still learning the intricacies of what their head coach requires, both on and off the ball.

Yet his willingness to run and fight for every loose ball will stand him in good stead.  

(Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)