Ruben Amorim tried to insist the result of the Manchester derby had no bearing on whether his call to drop Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho was right.
“For me, it will be the same,” he said about the importance of beating Manchester City given the context of leaving out two major players.
According to Amorim, the only difference had Amad not inspired a stunning late comeback would have been a “really, really hard conversation” with the media afterwards. “But for me, it’s a clear point, a natural situation, and was just for this game, let’s see another game,” the Portuguese added.
Amorim has a way of disarming potentially explosive situations, and yet it is also undeniable that victory at the Etihad colours how his bold selection will be perceived by people at United. That includes players and directors.
A team needs a tangible cause to follow a head coach, as even Amorim appeared to accept. “Today proved we can leave anyone outside the squad and manage to win if we play together,” he said.
As far as the hierarchy is concerned, there is another executive committee meeting on Monday – December’s date for the monthly summits that have happened since INEOS arrived – and although the agenda tends to be broader than on-pitch events, it seems inevitable Amorim’s job on City without Rashford and Garnacho will come up. A third straight loss in the Premier League would have soured the mood. As it is, United are six points off fourth.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe watched from the Etihad directors’ box, next to technical director Jason Wilcox, with Sir Dave Brailsford on the other side. At one point, Ratcliffe leant in to hear what Wilcox was saying, in an apparent explanation of events happening below them, and that configuration of seats perhaps indicates the new order in light of Dan Ashworth’s exit as sporting director.
Wilcox is one of the board’s representatives at the training ground, watching sessions and gauging of the atmosphere.
(from left to right) Omar Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford, Jason Wilcox and Sir Jim Ratcliffe at the Etihad (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)
Amorim appeared to hint at dialogue with those above him over his thoughts on how to handle Rashford and Garnacho. “For so long, for example with Rash, you try a thing, it doesn’t work,” he said. “Let’s continue to do the same thing? Or something different?”
Given Amorim has only been in charge for six weeks, such a statement implies he has spoken to those who have been at United longer to understand what has already gone on. For instance, Brailsford had a one-on-one with Rashford after he had called in sick for training following two nights out in Belfast in January. Erik ten Hag did not allow Rashford to play against Newport County that Sunday, but he started him in the next match four days later at Wolverhampton Wanderers, in which he scored the opener in a 4-3 win.
Amorim maintained the omissions were not disciplinary: “If it was, I will say that here, and it will be a bigger problem.”
Questions about Rashford’s social life might not technically be an issue about rules, however. Clearly, Amorim wants more from both in training, to such a degree he felt it necessary to leave out two players who had featured in all 15 of United’s Premier League games this season, with Rashford starting 12 of them and Garnacho 10. Rashford has seven goals and three assists in all competitions, Garnacho has eight goals and four assists. Only Bruno Fernandes on six goals, 10 assists, has more goal involvements.
Amorim would have known in advance the reaction generated, and the additional pressure provoked. For all the talk of his charm, he has a hard streak.
In a way, though, dropping both players alleviates the focus from pointing a single direction and it is tempting to think that was a factor for Amorim.
“We try to evaluate training performance, game performances, engagement with team-mates,” he said. “Everything is on the line when we analyse and try to choose the players. I pay attention to the way you eat, the way you put your clothes to go to a game.”
For Garnacho, his lack of celebration after scoring against Leicester City last month, in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s final game, his propensity to shoot rather than pass, and his defensive work, which Ten Hag felt could be better, are all possible reasons when set against Amorim’s explanation.
Garnacho after scoring against Leicester last month (Visionhaus/Getty Images)
He is attempting to allow no inch, and his appreciation of the 250 redundancies at United was telling. “In the beginning of something, when we want to change a lot of things, when people are losing jobs, we have to put standards, really high,” he said.
Amorim being at training on Sunday morning before the derby to watch Rashford and Garnacho could be viewed as his collaboration with them, or a sign he wanted to make sure they did what was asked. They trained hard, he said, adding: “If they train well with talent they have, we will be so much better with them.”
Amad offered an ideal counterpoint. His technique and vision were excellent, as usual, but it was his effort that shone through, and won United the game. He made runs that had no guarantee of success, and kept making them.
He was alert to anticipate City’s stand-in full-back Matheus Nunes’ backpass and his ill-fated attempt to win the ball back, and he chased hard to catch Lisandro Martinez’s pass from deep to steal in ahead of goalkeeper Ederson and slot in a stunning winner.
David Beckham, a player whose hard running complemented his skill, posted a picture online of Amad holding the United crest on his shirt. “And the rebuild begins, big team win with players who wanna wear this jersey,” he wrote.
It recalled to mind reports of Rashford considering his United future in the wake of Ralf Rangnick placing him on the bench for United’s trip to City in March 2022. Rashford watched this derby on a television screen, posting a photograph with the caption, “Love it lads”.
Amorim will want more than words to give Rashford and Garnacho their places back. Both were not obvious fits in his 3-4-2-1 system, and neither one will see their transfer values rise by being out of the side. Both can offer much at their best, though. All parties want this to be a quick episode, but Amorim has shown his teeth early and must only be emboldened by the way those he did pick acquitted themselves.
(Top photo: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
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