If Manchester United were to sack him, coach Ruben Amorim would have a reason to be angry with his player Manuel Ugarte. The midfielder has been far too “disloyal” to his Portuguese manager.
Manchester United were unexpectedly knocked out by Grimsby Town in the very early round of this season’s English League Cup. The humiliating defeat against a team playing in England’s fourth tier has put coach Ruben Amorim at risk of being fired. Besides analyses and critiques from experts about his managerial abilities in the UK, one of the reasons causing the Portuguese strategist so much trouble is none other than Manuel Ugarte’s performance.
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It is not an exaggeration to say that Ugarte has been silently “undermining” his coach, Ruben Amorim. Manchester United reportedly paid PSG as much as £50 million to secure Ugarte. Initially, he was expected to solve United’s midfield issues. And after Amorim was appointed to replace his predecessor Erik ten Hag, Ugarte’s name has been mentioned even more, as he was a favorite of Amorim back when they both worked at Sporting Lisbon.
In reality, ever since taking charge of United, coach Ruben Amorim has given Ugarte plenty of opportunities. Yet the Uruguayan midfielder has disappointed him repeatedly. United’s recent defeat to Grimsby Town highlighted Ugarte’s poor performance so clearly that former United player and current commentator Roy Keane remarked in the broadcast booth: “Manuel Ugarte is not good enough to be in Manchester United’s first team.”
In United’s first conceded goal against Grimsby Town, Ugarte slipped after a collision with teammate Amad Diallo. At the moment the opposition had possession and launched a quick counterattack, the Uruguayan midfielder should have immediately sprung up to help defend. But he didn’t; it seemed in Ugarte’s mind, defending was the responsibility of the defenders and goalkeeper.
Within a mere 10 seconds of that situation, the 24-year-old essentially removed himself from the play by strolling lazily back toward his own goal. Consequently, when Grimsby Town striker Charles Vernam struck the ball to beat goalkeeper Andre Onana, Ugarte was still leisurely making his way back and hadn’t even reached the edge of United’s penalty area.