Despite Manchester United’s severe squad crisis, they still aim to loan Toby Collier out again in January.
United terminated Collier’s season-long loan deal with West Brom after he suffered a calf injury in November. The 21-year-old struggled for regular game time at the Hawthorns and returned to the Carrington training ground to resume his rehabilitation.
However, even though Ruben Amorim is currently short of squad depth – with eight players sidelined – United still plan to send Collier out on loan if he regains fitness this month.
Midfielders Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes are both sidelined through injury, while the partnership of Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro produced a woeful display in Tuesday’s clash against Wolves.
In recent games, Amorim has been forced to call upon 18-year-old Jack Fletcher to bolster the midfield.
Collier made his Premier League debut under Erik ten Hag and joined West Brom in August in search of regular starting experience.
He made 12 appearances for Ryan Mason’s side, including three starts, and provided one assist. His contract runs until 2027 with an option to extend until 2028.
United will face summer transfer target Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Elland Road on Sunday.
Calvert-Lewin is in red-hot form, scoring seven goals in his last seven games, more than United’s top scorer this season Brian Mbemba.
The 28-year-old striker was rested during his side’s 0-0 away draw at Anfield under Daniel Farke, coming off the bench in the 70th minute to fire a dangerous effort that was ruled out for offside.
Calvert-Lewin has scored two goals in 16 encounters against United, both during his spell at Everton.
Ahead of the New Year’s Day clash against Liverpool, Calvert-Lewin scored in four consecutive Premier League games for only the second time in his career.
His current strike rate of 0.53 goals per 90 minutes is the best single-season tally of his career.
United could have signed him on a free transfer last summer but understandably cooled their interest due to his injury history.
He has proven his quality in the Premier League and could have strengthened United’s then-emerging attack, which included the £74m summer signing of Benjamin Sesko.
Career Effectively Over
Joshua Zirkzee was happy to see out the season at United just a short while ago. But everything has changed since then.
Fletcher came off the bench to replace Zirkzee against Newcastle, before the Dutchman was substituted by Fletcher at half-time in the Wolves game. The signs point to Zirkzee’s United career drawing to a close.
Amorim has plenty of experience in handling player exits. Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund were all dropped from the matchday squad before their departures, and it would come as no surprise if Zirkzee suffers the same fate.
If he leaves, United will look for a replacement. Their brief interest in Antoine Semenyo is contingent on them offloading a striker first.
Account Suspended
An overabundance of academy players on United’s first-team bench in recent weeks has intensified competition for matchday squad places.
The parent of one United youth player actively pushed for their son to be included in the squad against Wolves, but predictably, he missed out and was also absent from training photographs.
Furthermore, an X account claiming Shea Lacey would start against Wolves and Sekou Kone would be on the bench – a story credulously picked up by some aggregate websites – was quickly suspended.
Strictly speaking, though, Kone is not an academy graduate as he has never featured for United’s youth teams.
Even Tottenham Said...
12th-placed Tottenham are in a worse position than United, but they were unimpressed by Amorim’s side following their 2-2 draw in November.
Some long-serving Tottenham staff believe it was United’s worst performance against them in years.
They appear to have short memories. United produced an even more abysmal display in last season’s 3-0 home defeat to Chelsea, a result that sealed ten Hag’s fate as manager.
Then there was the disappointing Europa League final defeat in May.
Nearly two months ago, United played out a 2-2 draw with Tottenham, registering just two shots on target, yet led for the first 52 minutes until Spurs scored twice late on. Matthijs de Ligt headed home an injury-time equaliser in the 96th minute.
United’s Links to Maresca
Chelsea are United’s main rivals for fifth place, which is likely to secure a Champions League qualifying spot.
United also appear to have played a part in the recent soap opera at Stamford Bridge that ultimately led to Enzo Maresca stepping down on New Year’s Day.
It is claimed that negative reports about Man City’s alleged interest in Maresca as a potential successor to Pep Guardiola partly originated from rumours inside Old Trafford.
It remains unclear whether United intended to destabilize Chelsea with the claims.
Maresca himself managed to destabilize Chelsea with his post-match press conference absence and his infamous “worst 48 hours” comments.
