Man United head coach Ruben Amorim will use pre-season to work out his best starting XI ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
George is a Senior Football Writer for the Manchester Evening News, mostly covering Manchester United. He previously worked for football.london before joining the MEN team in July 2021. As well as covering United, George is a Championship-enthusiast and co-hosts The Championship Chat Podcast (@Champchatpod24), which you can find on all major podcast platforms.
Ruben Amorim has some big calls to make.(Image: Zohaib Alam – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images.)
One down, four to go. Manchester United kicked off their pre-season schedule with a 0-0 draw against Leeds United in Stockholm on Saturday.
For those who watched from either inside the Strawberry Arena or on MUTV, it is unlikely it will be remembered very fondly. In typical pre-season fashion, the game was light on quality and highlights.
United will hope to serve up something a little bit better when they face West Ham United at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey this weekend in their opening game of the Premier League Summer Series. The Reds fly out to the US on Tuesday and will spend the best part of a fortnight on the other side of the Atlantic.
Their pre-season tour will feature friendlies against Premier League counterparts West Ham, Bournemouth and Everton. Each game will represent an opportunity for head coach Ruben Amorim to experiment.
By the time United return to England and prepare for their final friendly of the summer – a clash with Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 9 – Amorim will almost certainly have an idea in his mind of what his strongest starting XI looks like.
United face Arsenal in their Premier League at Old Trafford on August 17 and will be determined to hit the ground running after last season’s struggles.
Although there is still just under a month to go until their Premier League curtain-raiser, some places in Amorim’s starting XI are already nailed down. The likes of Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Bruno Fernandes, Mathes Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo will all believe they are guaranteed starters.
Occupants of other positions within the XI remain to be decided, with United’s four remaining friendlies set to dictate Amorim’s thinking.
The Portuguese chief’s decision to start Fernandes in the middle of midfield for the draw with Leeds felt particularly telling. Following the addition of Cunha, the feeling throughout the summer has been that Fernandes will start the new campaign in midfield.
Bruno Fernandes could be about to become a permanent No.8 for Manchester United.(Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images.)
Cunha operated as the left-sided No.10 in Stockholm and Toby Collyer, much to everyone’s surprise, started as the right-sided No.10. Mbemo and Amad will be the leading contenders to occupy that role come mid-August.
Casemiro and Fernandes started alongside each other in midfield in Stockholm before Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte were partnered together for the second half. United were better after the break and Mainoo was a bright spark.
Amorim struggled to determine Mainoo’s best position last season, tasking him as either a No.8 or as one of the playmakers. On Saturday’s evidence, Mainoo looks more than comfortable in midfield.
However, he was playing alongside Ugarte, who is a defensive specialist, meaning the England international had the freedom to get forward and be adventurous with the ball. If he starts the season next to Fernandes, he will not have that luxury amid the latter’s hunger to attack.
To ensure United, who still want to sign a midfielder this summer, strike the right balance in the engine room, Ugarte and Fernandes look the best partnership on paper. Ugarte is an excellent ball-winner and his qualities compliment Fernandes.
Manuel Ugarte will be hoping to benefit from a full pre-season.(Image: Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images.)
Mainoo, though, will believe he has lost time to make up for after a stop-start 2024/25 campaign. However, the prospect of him and Fernandes working side-by-side could leave United vulnerable and potentially exposed in the middle.
Casemiro returned for pre-season looking leaner and fitter, meaning he will be refusing to give up hope of becoming a regular starter this season.
The three US friendlies and the clash with Fiorentina in M16 next month could settle this conundrum for Amorim.
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