Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville believes two Manchester United players are ‘certainties’ to succeed under new head coach Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese coach saw his side draw 1-1 with Ipswich during his opening match in charge last Sunday.
Despite many of the same faces, it was a much-changed United side in terms of system and formation as Amorim selected a 3-4-3.
It saw Amad Diallo deployed at right wing-back, Jonny Evans on the left of a back three and Alejandro Garnacho tucked inside behind lone striker Marcus Rashford.
In midfield, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro struggled to adapt to Amorim’s demands of pressing high.
The pair were both taken off in the second half, with Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount coming on.
Ugarte played under Amorim at Sporting and Neville believes the Uruguayan, alongside Kobbie Mainoo, will become ‘certs’ under the Portuguese.
‘I think Mainoo and Ugarte for me, playing midfield, I think they’re absolute certs’ said Neville.
The former England right-back then tipped Luke Shaw and Leny Yoro to become vital figures for Amorim.
‘I think Luke Shaw’s a certainty to play. I think he would be anyway in a back four or a back three,” continued Neville.
‘Luke Shaw, if he can keep fit. As I think that left centre-back needs to eventually be able to play out as a left-back, so he is well suited to do both. The same must be said of the right centre-back.
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‘We saw Mazraoui do it against Ipswich. I think Ugarte will be a winner, just because I think in midfield, not just because he’s played for him before.
‘I think it’s how you fit in the likes of Rashford, Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes. Because one thing you know with that system, you’ve got two wing-backs, you’ve got a back three and you’ve got a two in front.
‘It’s then that three, which obviously the two that he likes to play sort of come inside a little bit. So, you’re wondering about sort of Amad… Amad played obviously wide yesterday, but Garnacho, Rashford, Hojlund, Zirkzee, Fernandes. That’s the conundrum of those attacking positions where I can’t quite see what’s going to happen.
‘I think ultimately you’ll end up with Yoro as the right-centre-back, I think just because of that energy and that pace. So, I think the winners will be the ones who I think are adaptable.’
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