Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has publicly explained his decision not to bring on midfielder Kobbie Mainoo during his side's 1-1 Premier League draw with West Ham United on Thursday night.
The Match and Substitution Decisions
The game at Old Trafford saw United take the lead in the second half through defender Diogo Dalot, who finished expertly from close range. However, the home side could not hold on for all three points, as West Ham's Soungoutou Magassa equalised with just seven minutes of normal time remaining.
Amorim utilised all five of his available substitutions during the match. Leny Yoro replaced Ayden Heaven at half-time, while Dalot was later substituted for Patrick Dorgu. In the latter stages, Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount came on for Matheus Cunha and Joshua Zirkzee. With two minutes left, Luke Shaw made way for Lisandro Martinez.
Notably, Kobbie Mainoo remained an unused substitute. The young English midfielder has not started a match since United's Carabao Cup penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town in August. This was the fourth time this Premier League season he has been named on the bench but not introduced.
Amorim's Explanation for the Tactical Choice
When questioned after the match about whether he would reconsider his conservative use of substitutes following the dropped points, Amorim was firm in his response. 'No, we are losing because of the second balls,' he stated. 'Sometimes it’s not more men in front that you are going to win the ball.'
Pushed further on whether he could have introduced a more offensive player, Amorim retorted, 'Who? Who would be more offensive?' When a journalist suggested Mainoo's name, the United boss laughed before offering a tactical breakdown.
'Yes, it was the second ball and I was worried with Matheus,' Amorim explained. 'I know Bruno [Fernandes] reached the box really well, Mason Mount is playing in his position, they were trying to push us, Bryan [Mbeumo] has a lot of pace to try to win the ball in one transition, so that was my idea.'
Broader Concerns Over United's Inconsistency
Beyond the immediate team selection, Amorim admitted to broader concerns about his team's inability to see out games from winning positions. He referenced a previous match against Brighton where United led 3-0 but still faced a nervy finish.
'I always have the feeling, I think everyone has the feeling we need to score more goals, nothing is sure,' Amorim said. 'Even with Brighton, we were 3-0 and suddenly… so we suffer with that, we are inconsistent, we need to improve.'
The single point from the draw leaves Manchester United eighth in the Premier League with 22 points from their opening 14 matches. They now sit two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification.
