Manchester United stunned rivals Manchester City with a late comeback to give United their first win at the Etihad since 2021.
Late strikes from Bruno Fernandes from the spot and an extraordinary last-minute winner from Amad Diallo were enough to hand Ruben Amorim his first three points away from Old Trafford in the Premier League as Man United boss and provide a much-needed morale boost before the busy festive period.
A lot of the pre-match discussions were around the surprise omissions of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho from the Man United matchday squad.
Boss Amorim explained to Sky Sports that the pair missed the game due to ‘selection reasons rather than injury or illness’ sparking doubts over Rashford’s future at the club in particular.
Rashford struggling for form at United
Following his omission from the squad against Man City, Rashford has only started three games under new manager Amorim scoring only four times in the league all season.
It has led to speculation that Man United are searching for a new striker and, according to CaughtOffside, United are showing interest in Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen.
A signing like Osimhen could limit Rashford’s game time even more at the club, as the England international has struggled to replicate his scintillating form from the 22/23 season, where he scored 17 times in the Premier League and was part of England’s World Cup squad.
Since 22/23, Rashford has slowly declined in a lot of key attacking metrics at United, something that new boss Amorim has quickly picked up on.
Goals
0.53
0.28
0.37
Assists
0.16
0.08
0.09
Progressive passes
2.75
2.58
1.93
Shots
3.38
2.38
1.47
Expected goals
15.4
7.4
1.7
Pass completion
76.7%
75.3%
73.8%
Successful take-ons
54
48
9
Not only is the attacker decreasing in goals and assists output, but his creativity from open play seems to be suffering from a lack of confidence too. The England forward has declined in pass completion, successful take ons and the number of shots per 90 minutes.
With the January transfer window being notoriously difficult to get big deals like Osimhen over the line, United may struggle to replace Rashford in the current season. It may force Amorim to look to the academy for fresh impetus.
The Man Utd teen who could replace Rashford
Shea Lacey is a name hot on the lips of many inside Carrington and recently signed his first professional contract at Man United.
The young forward, who can play on either wing or behind the striker, has impressed so far in his appearances for the U18 side and has already been dubbed as the ‘new Phil Foden’ by Planet Sport, such is his huge potential. Why? Well, as talent scout Jacek Kulig alluded to, the teen has “incredible quality in tight spaces.”
Lacey has been struggling with injury at the start of this season but has already registered an assist in his four appearances so far.
In The Pipeline
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It was his form last season, however, that really caught the eye of Manchester United followers and sparked hope that he could be the next Carrington arrival bursting into the first-team squad.
U18 Premier League
7
2
3
UEFA Youth League
3
0
1
While it is early days in the career of Lacey, the above statistics prove he has an eye for goal and can create opportunities for his teammates.
If Rashford does make the move away from Old Trafford, his replacement may not have to cost a penny and yet another Carrington superstar could be about to emerge.
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