All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou’s future appears more and more likely to be away from north London, and his potential exit could have a knock-on effect when it comes to Spurs keeping a “top-class” player this summer.

Ange Postecoglou faces Tottenham sack regardless of Europa League

Last week, Postecoglou conceded that the general sentiment around his position was that he could be sacked regardless of how the Lilywhites perform in Europe.

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1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 12, 2025

This remains the case, especially after Spurs’ seventeenth Premier League defeat of the campaign against Wolves, with journalist John Cross of The Mirror reporting of a “growing belief” that Postecoglou may well be fired even if they win the Europa League.

Supporters will be very keen to put this season behind them following a 2024/2025 of historic lows, and there is a serious lack of confidence in Postecoglou being the right man to take them forward, regardless of the Australian’s misfortune with injuries.

In terms of Tottenham’s managerial targets to replace Postecoglou, it is believed Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Brentford’s Thomas Frank, Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner and Inter Milan head coach Simone Inzaghi are all admired.

Spurs’ managerial situation also appears set to play a key role in keeping their best players at the club this summer, as well as attracting key transfer targets.

Defender Cristian Romero is rumoured to be pushing for an exit from Tottenham, amid interest from La Liga heavyweights Atlético and Real Madrid, while striker Richarlison is another who’s repeatedly been linked with a departure.

The Brazil international has been unable to showcase his best this campaign due to consistent injury problems, but did score against Wolves over the weekend and has impressed in flashes under Postecoglou when given the chance.

As well as Romero, it has been claimed that Richarlison is also keen on leaving Tottenham (Football Insider), and South American journalist Jorge Nicola reported earlier this month that the £60 million forward is a target for the likes of Palmeiras, Fluminense and Flamengo – even if the cost of an operation makes their moves for him unlikely.

Now, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared an interesting update on his future.

Richarlison could decide to stay at Tottenham if Postecoglou is sacked

Writing for The Boot Room, Bailey reports that Richarlison could decide to stay at Tottenham if Postecoglou is sacked, due to the prospect of a new manager potentially being keen to work with him.

However, while the 27-year-old threatens to perform a full U-turn over leaving N17, Spurs’ stance is that they’d like to find a permanent buyer amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.

While Richarlison’s suffered from a lack of availability when he has played, the former Everton star’s notched an impressive 16 goals and five assists over the last two seasons under Postecoglou – so there can be no complaints about his return in the final third.

Perhaps a fresh face in the dugout can revitalise Richarlison, who’s been called a “top-class” player for Spurs in the past (Paul Robinson).

Tottenham Hotspur face Nottingham Forest tonight, looking to build on their tremendous victory in the Europa League against Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday night.

Ange Postecoglou’s side booked their place in the semi-finals, setting up a clash with Norwegian outfit Bodo Glimt, with the majority of their attention on such a fixture.

However, the Lilywhites will look to end their Premier League campaign on a high, in what has been a hugely disappointing one by their usual high standards.

They have the opportunity to dent Forest’s ambitions of securing a Champions League place, led by former boss Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked in North London after just 17 games in all competitions.

If Ange’s side are to claim all three points this evening, he will have to drop one player who’s failed to deliver when handed the opportunity from the start in recent weeks.

Why Ange should drop Johnson against Nottingham Forest

Welsh winger Brennan Johnson has failed to match his early-season form, which saw him register a goal in six consecutive games across all competitions.

The 23-year-old has only found the back of the net twice since the end of February, with his showing against Frankfurt in midweek certainly one to forget despite the victory.

He featured for 85 minutes of the contest, completing just 69% of the passes he attempted, whilst winning just two of the six duels he entered – often being dominated in the final third.

His total of just 22 touches, an average of one every 3.8 minutes, showcased his lack of impact when on the ball, needing to be replaced as a result of his poor showing.

With little to nothing left to play for other than pride in the league, Ange could take the clash with the Reds to experiment with his first-team, potentially handing a rare start to one other first-team member.

The player who Ange must start against Nottingham Forest

Injuries have massively plagued Ange throughout the majority of this season, hugely preventing any chance of rising up the table – having to often utilise players out of position.

The likes of Archie Gray and Ben Davies have often had to fill the void at the heart of the defence, with numerous forwards missing, leaving Johnson with very little competition in the process.

Wilson Odobert is just one player who’s spent an extended period on the sidelines throughout 2024/25, restricting him from making an impact after his £25m move from Burnley last summer.

The Frenchman has only featured in 14 games across all competitions, most of which have come from the substitutes bench, but it hasn’t prevented him from making a huge impact.

In one of his most recent starts for the Lilywhites, he scored twice in the Europa League triumph over AZ Alkmaar – only making one start since his impressive showing nearly six weeks ago.

Whilst he was an unused substitute in the win on Thursday night, it could be an opportunity for Postecoglou to shuffle his pack and hand the 20-year-old just his sixth league start.

He’s completed 1.8 dribbles per 90 in the league to date, whilst also registering the same amount of efforts on goal, having the attacking threat to add to the front line.

Games played

10

Minutes played

448

Pass accuracy

86%

Successful dribbles

1.8

Shots taken

1.8

Duels won

4.3

Touches in opposition box

5.8

Odobert, who’s been labelled “unbelievable” by Jacob Horsfall, has the drive and threat with the ball at his feet that could cause the opposition backline no end of trouble tonight.

It’s the perfect opportunity for the youngster to impress, potentially staking his claim for a starting role in the Europa League, having a massive part to play in their quest for a first trophy since 2008.

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Stepping up their summer plans, Manchester United are now reportedly expected to submit an opening offer to sign a Serie A midfielder who dominated former Old Trafford star Scott McTominay this season.

INEOS preparing for big summer

Ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge, in which he will be forced to operate underneath an even greater spotlight, it’s fair to say that INEOS must get things right on the transfer front.

The Red Devils desperately need to show the door to several stars and are even more desperate for fresh faces to arrive and make their mark at Old Trafford.

Amorim is keen to ensure that his side waste no time before finally turning things around at the club, despite questions around a long-term task.

The former Sporting CP boss told reporters earlier this month: “I understand, but I’m not naïve. I don’t want to think we need a lot of years to be competitive. I can’t think like that, I cannot manage that, it’s not in me. That’s why I’m putting pressure on myself.

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“I know we won’t be the biggest challengers in the next year or two years. We are changing a lot of things inside the club and we know it will take a lot of time, but I will not say I need a lot of years. Next year is our goal. I’m not saying we’re going to win the title in the next year, I’m not crazy.”

What would certainly help accelerate Manchester United’s turnaround is an impressive transfer window – something that INEOS are seemingly planning for.

Already, names such as Liam Delap and James Trafford have been mentioned among those who could yet be on their way to Amorim’s side, but it’s a Serie A midfielder who may well be most likely.

Man Utd expected to submit offer for Ederson

According to TuttomercatoWeb, Manchester United are now expected to submit an official offer to sign Ederson from Atalanta in the coming weeks. The Serie A side reportedly value their midfielder at around €60m (£52m), but it remains to be seen whether United’s pending offer will reach that mark and satisfy the Italians’ requirements.

It should come as no surprise that Atalanta are demanding such a high price, however. If Manchester United kept an eye on academy graduate, turned Napoli star, Scott McTominay, they would have seen Ederson’s quality for themselves earlier this season. The Brazilian dominated the Napoli midfielder in a resounding 3-0 victory.

By the end of the 3-0 thrashing, the Atalanta star had made eight passes into the final third, won 100% of his tackles and completed as many as 10 recoveries. McTominay, meanwhile, was limited to the least amount of touches of any outfield player on the day and won just 50% of his tackles, according to FotMob.

Described as “strong” by South American football expert Tim Vickery, Ederson is exactly the type of combative midfielder that Amorim needs alongside Manuel Ugarte if he is to turn Manchester United around once and for all.

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Aston Villa are thought to be best placed to sign a star in a transfer that could cost a total of £130m over five years, according to a former scout.

Rashford impressing at Aston Villa as Romano shares update

Marcus Rashford has been catching the eye at Villa Park after joining Villa on loan with a £40m option to buy in the summer from Manchester United.

Under Unai Emery, Rashford has impressed enough to break back into the England side, now under Thomas Tuchel, and he recently scored his first goals for Villa against Preston North End in the FA Cup and followed that up with another against Brighton on Wednesday.

There have been rumours of a permanent move to the Midlands for the forward, and Fabrizio Romano recently shared what he knows about the situation.

“Aston Villa are very happy with Marcus Rashford in general,” said Romano.

“So I don’t think, in any case, if they decided to trigger the £40m option clause, I don’t think they would do that just to sell the player again. So in that case, I see Marcus Rashford staying at Aston Villa and having the opportunity to make something long-term with the club. What I can say about Marcus Rashford is that it’s going to be really important to understand financially what happens for Aston Villa.”

Now, another promising claim has been made on the 27-year-old sticking around at Villa Park.

Aston Villa in pole position to sign Rashford in potential £130m package

Ex-scout Mick Brown now believes that Aston Villa are in the best position to sign Rashford on a permanent transfer. There have been claims by Football Insider that a transfer could cost £130m due to Rashford’s £350,000-per-week wage over a five-year period alongside the £40m fee.

Games

11

Goals

3

Assists

4

Talking to FI, Brown said: “Marcus going out on loan has been a win-win. There was no way his situation at Man United was going to improve, so from that point of view he’s gone away and improved his position. There’s never been any doubt about Marcus’ talent, and now he’s found a platform to display that.

“Aston Villa have gained from it because they were brave enough to take him on loan. Now, I think they’ll be in the best position to keep him on a permanent deal even though there’s going to be interest from elsewhere.

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“He’s established there and it’s been a good deal for everybody involved. I think there’s more to come for him there now that he’s got his first couple of goals – that link up with Asensio has been excellent. If they can keep that going and Villa can keep him at the club they’ll be much better for it.

“Manchester United will no doubt benefit as well because they can maximise his price tag when if he had stayed he was a depreciating asset.”

Rashford is also of interest to Bayern Munich, with reports at the end of February saying that the German giants are going all in to sign the winger. However, Brown believes Villa are best placed to seal a transfer, although it could be very expensive for NSWE between now and 2030.

It’s still early in the season, but even so, Chelsea’s summer business is starting to look questionable.

For example, Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho do not look at the level required, and Joao Pedro has one goal in his last seven Premier League games.

Moreover, even though Jorrel Hato is one of the most promising young defenders around, he looked out of his depth in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

Fortunately, there is plenty of time for the players to come good, although there is another member of Enzo Maresca’s squad who is starting to look like one of Chelsea’s worst ever signings: Danny Drinkwater.

Drinkwater's Chelsea career

Drinkwater first shot to prominence when he played a pivotal role in Leicester City’s legendary Premier League triumph in the 15/16 season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Englishman actually stayed at the King Power Stadium for the following campaign, but then, in the summer of 2017, made a £35m move to Chelsea.

While he was a title-winning midfielder, it felt like something of an unnecessary move from the Blues at the time, but nobody would have predicted quite how poorly it was going to go.

He would only make 22 appearances, totalling 1151 minutes, in his first season, on top of dealing with his role as a squad player, he had to contend with persistent calf injuries.

Unfortunately, the following season was even worse, as in addition to yet more injuries, it also became clear that Marizio Sarri did not fancy him at all, and so he ended the season with a solitary 30-minute appearance in the Community Shield.

The following campaign saw him join Burnley on loan for the first half of the season and Aston Villa for the second half.

However, injuries limited him to two appearances for the former, while a training ground incident saw him return to West London after just four appearances for the latter.

Appearances

23

Starts

12

Minutes

1181′

Goals

1

Assists

0

The writing was on the wall at this point, and after a loan to Turkish side Kasimpasa for half a season in 2020/21, he made one more move to Reading the following year, where he made 34 appearances and then retired.

It would be hard to describe Drinkwater’s move to Chelsea as anything other than a disaster, and while there were some reasons why, it mostly came down to his inability to remain fit.

Unfortunately for Maresca, it appears that he may now have someone like that in his squad today.

Chelsea's modern Drinkwater

While several players in Chelsea’s team have a less-than-ideal injury record, it’ll come as no shock that Roméo Lavia is the star in danger of becoming Maresca’s own Drinkwater.

Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, the Belgian has already shown far more in West London than the former Blues man ever did, but that’s not really the point.

Like the former Leicester star, the 21-year-old has been so incredibly unlucky with injuries, and it’s now got to the point where some fans are questioning whether he should still be at the club come next season.

That might sound extreme, but considering he cost in excess of £45m in 2023, it’s really not.

For example, in his first campaign with the club, the midfielder, whom talent scout Jack Kulig once described as having “enormous potential,” played a single game.

23/24

1

32′

24/25

22

1069′

25/26

7

240′

Then, despite managing 22 appearances last season, they only amounted to 1,069 minutes of action.

This season, he has made seven appearances, totalling 240 minutes, but is now set to be out for some time after suffering yet another injury against Qarabag FK on Wednesday night.

Unfortunately, availability is the best ability, and as one content creator put it, “there is a world-class player in there when he’s fit, but that is the case so rarely.”

Ultimately, Lavia is a better player than Drinkwater was, but due to his inability to remain fit, his Chelsea career could follow the same path.

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Can Arsenal continue their unbeaten streak at Stamford Bridge?

The Gunners will make the seven-mile trip across the capital on Sunday, currently unbeaten in six away games against Chelsea, winning three of them, despite having lost eight of their previous ten Premier League fixtures at the Bridge; how times have changed.

Well, already this week, Mikel Arteta’s team have comprehensively beaten both Tottenham and Bayern Munich at home, and a victory on Sunday would move them nine points clear of the Blues at the top of the Premier League table.

So, if the Gunners are to beat another fierce rival, Arteta should unleash his attacker labelled “better than Bukayo Saka”.

Leandro Trossard latest injury news

Just when Arsenal were starting to get some attacking players back from injury, another could be heading for the treatment room.

38 minutes into Wednesday’s win over Bayern Munich, Leandro Trossard suffered a knock and was forced to come off.

Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Arteta said that “we’ll have to see” if the Belgian will be available this weekend, noting that he has avoided serious injury, but has not trained since the match.

Losing Trossard would be a major blow, considering he has already scored five goals and registered five assists across all competitions this season, most recently breaking the deadlock in last weekend’s North London derby.

However, does Arteta have a ready-made replacement, one who will be particularly raring to face Chelsea?

The attacker Mikel Arteta must start vs Chelsea

Arsenal do remain without Viktor Gyökeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, but Arteta is now going to have some attacking options from which to choose once again.

Both Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Martinelli made their returns off the bench in mid-week, while Noni Madueke has been introduced as a substitute in each of the last two matches, scoring his first goal for the club against Bayern Munich, connecting with Riccardo Calafiori’s cross at the back post.

Before being introduced for a late cameo against Spurs, Madueke hadn’t been seen since 21 September when Manchester City drew in North London, sustaining a knee injury that day, which was a real blow because he had been really bright up until that point.

Back in September, the winger also scored his first goal for England, on target as the Three Lions demolished Serbia 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier at the Marakana in Belgrade.

After the match, former Manchester United defender Paul Parker asserted that “I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka”, a bold take, but let’s compare the pair in the Premier League last season to test this hypothesis.

Goals

0.4

0.4

Assists

0.2

0.6

Shots

2.6

2.2

Shots on target %

56%

56%

Chances created

1.4

3

Big chances created

0.26

1.1

Big chances missed

0.6

0.4

Completed take-ons

2

2.2

Take-on success %

49.45%

52.56%

Touches

47.4

56.8

% of touches in box

18.48%

16.54%

Average rating

7.03

7.60

As the table documents, Saka does come out on top for the vast majority of metrics, but Madueke’s numbers are largely comparable across the board, superior in some key areas too.

The 23-year-old attempts more shots and registers a higher percentage of his touches in the opposition penalty area, underlining that he might just be more of a goal threat, with Saka excelling as the creator.

Also, Madueke’s direct running and fearlessness could be exactly what Arteta’s team need in this game, hoping to give Reece James, Malo Gusto or whoever else Enzo Maresca might deploy at right-back nightmares.

Having been cast aside by Chelsea in the summer, told he was surplus to requirements, Madueke will surely be ultra-motivated to show his former employers what they passed up on, so could he write his name into Arsenal folklore?

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has piled praise on a Gunners star who perhaps went unnoticed during their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich.

Arsenal end Bayern Munich unbeaten streak with 3-1 victory

Vincent Kompany’s Bundesliga champions went into Wednesday night’s Champions League clash off the back of a season-long unbeaten streak, winning all but one of their total games in all competitions.

It was Arsenal’s biggest test on paper, but Arteta’s side passed it with flying colours.

Arsenal delivered a commanding second-half performance to defeat Bayern at the Emirates Stadium, extending their perfect Champions League record to five wins from five matches and establishing themselves as genuine European contenders.

Arteta’s side opened the scoring through Jurrien Timber, who powered home a header from Bukayo Saka’s corner after 22 minutes. The Dutchman’s near-post run proved decisive as he guided his effort beyond Manuel Neuer, continuing Arsenal’s remarkable threat from set-pieces this season.

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Bayern responded ten minutes later when 17-year-old sensation Lennart Karl announced himself on the big stage with a composed finish. Joshua Kimmich’s accurate pass found ex-Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry, who cushioned the ball into Karl’s path and allowed the teenager to volley emphatically into the roof of the net — with the home side conceding their first goal in Europe this season.

However, the second period belonged entirely to the Gunners, who began to dominate.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Noni Madueke, introduced as a first-half substitute for Leandro Trossard, broke the deadlock with his first Arsenal goal after two months out with a knee injury. The winger’s clinical finish, feeding off fellow sub Riccardo Calafiori, restored the lead and shifted momentum decisively in the home side’s favour.

Gabriel Martinelli sealed the victory seven minutes later after capitalizing on a catastrophic error from Neuer, with the result sending Arsenal three points clear at the top of the Champions League table and sealing their first victory over Bayern in a decade.

Captain Martin Odegaard made his comeback from injury as a late substitute too, providing further encouragement ahead of Sunday’s crucial Premier League clash with second-placed Chelsea.Declan Rice was simply sensational against Bayern, with the midfielder dominating in midfield and causing Kompany’s men all sorts of problems.Arteta’s substitutions were inspired as well, but one man who delivered yet again was summer signing Cristhian Mosquera.

Mikel Arteta praises Cristhian Mosquera after Arsenal display in Bayern win

The young Spaniard came in to partner William Saliba in place of Piero Hincapie and the injured Gabriel Magalhaes, and despite being scarcely mentioned by critics, Mosquera impressed against Bayern.

Arteta, speaking in his post-match press conference, reserved special praise for the ex-Valencia star.

Those within Arsenal believe the 21-year-old could become one of world football’s best centre-backs in the next few years, and nothing we have seen has given us any reason to doubt that theory.Mosquera made his Premier League debut in Saliba’s stead against Liverpool at Anfield in August, barely setting a foot wrong despite being given a baptism of fire.The youngster does a quite simply brilliant job whenever called upon, and the initial £13 million that Arsenal paid Valencia for his services back in June is beginning to look like one of the bargains of 2025.

Ahead of the January transfer window, Rangers have reportedly opened talks to sign Galymzhan Kenzhebek from Kazakhstan side Yelimay.

Danny Rohl is reportedly keen to mark his own stamp at Ibrox and that could yet see a number of fresh faces arrive. Sporting director Kevin Thelwell already confirmed during the international break that Rangers will be busy in the winter window and there’s no doubt that he’s got plenty of making up to do after a disastrous summer.

The former Everton chief also revealed that there could yet be more additions behind the scenes in Glasgow, saying: “It’s an exciting time because we’re starting to look at the way we’re organised from a sporting perspective and say ‘well, what does great look like?’, where we are against that standard, and who can help us reach that standard.

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“We have been talking about making some new appointments and we have made some new appointments. I’m really pleased with the appointment of Jaymes Monte, in particular, a guy from Dundee, previously worked with Hudl, and probably our first ever appointment in that data space.

“He’s going to provide us with a lot of insight in relation to data, not only from a recruitment perspective but also from analysis of opposition, our own game, and then medical, sports science and coaching.”

Organisation behind the scenes would certainly help Rohl’s side on the pitch, but the German also needs fresh faces. On that front, names such as David Watson are already being mentioned.

The Kilmarnock midfielder is one of the best young talents in Scotland and Rangers have already reportedly opened talks to secure his signature as early as the January transfer window. His arrival could be the start of a winter window to watch from all involved at Ibrox, too.

Rangers open talks to sign Kenzhebek

According to reports in Kazakhstan, as relayed by Glasgow Times, Rangers have now opened talks to sign Kenzhebek from Yelimay in the January transfer window. The 22-year-old winger will be out of contract at the start of January, allowing the Gers to swoop in and potentially land a free deal.

Whilst Kenzhebek has only ever played twice outside of his home country, 12 goals and six assists in 36 league games this season suggests that he’s ready to break away courtesy of a move to Scotland.

Praised for his “quality” ball carrying ability by scout Kai Watson, the prospect of signing Kazakhstan should excite Rangers fans. Whilst he’s not the finished product, the potential is certainly there for all to see.

The fact that the Gers can beat Aberdeen and Celtic to his signature should also give them added incentive to get the deal over the line in January.

Rangers can forget about Souttar and Cornelius by unleashing "left-footed Van Dijk"

One of the positions Manchester United have struggled to find the correct solution for under Ruben Amorim is at wing-back.

On the right flank, things seem more settled. Amad has put in some good performances this term, locking down his place on that side and forming a good partnership with summer arrival Bryan Mbeumo.

The left-hand side has been more problematic. Last January, the Red Devils bought in Patrick Dorgu from Lecce to operate out there, but at just 21 years of age, he is still inexperienced and has rightly had his game time managed.

That has meant Diogo Dalot has operated out there a lot.

Dalot's concerning form at left wing-back

26-year-old Dalot is becoming one of the most experienced players in United’s squad. The Portuguese defender has played 219 times for the club and offers excellent versatility, able to operate at both left-back and his natural right-back.

It is that versatility that Amorim has leaned into this season. Of course, the Red Devils boss infamously plays with wing-backs, and he has tasked Dalot with that this season. The United number 2 has operated at left wing-back more often than not in 2025/26.

In nine appearances across all competitions, the former FC Porto star has played five times at left wing-back. In his last four matches in the Premier League, Dalot has played on that flank.

Touches

42

43

Pass accuracy

83%

88%

Crosses completed

0/0

0/2

Duels won

3/5

3/8

Chances created

1

0

He does offer something going forward, at times. Last season, he chalked up this impressive assist against Fulham in the FA Cup from the left flank, with Bruno Fernandes firing home to cap off a good move.

Yet, United fans do seem to be losing patience with Dalot. Content creator Dev Bajwa said the Red Devils’ number two has “got to be dropped” and said his teammates are “carrying” him.

Well, a solution might well present itself for Amorim if he does decide to drop Dalot.

The Man United star who can replace Dalot

United certainly have options on the left flank. Dalot, of course, has been Amoirm’s first-choice in recent games, and Dorgu is another player who could slot in there.

However, one man who is yet to operate in that role this season is Luke Shaw.

Well, that is because the England international has played a starring role on the left of United’s back three. Of course, he is a left-back by trade, but has shone at left centre-back. That could all change soon with the imminent return of Lisandro Martinez.

The Argentine is close to returning to action after being sidelined since February with a knee injury. He is, however, a trusted lieutenant of Amorim when fit, and has started all 16 possible games under the Portuguese manager.

Martinez is now back in full training and could feature against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. If he does come into the side, it could see a reshuffling of the pack for Amorim.

With the 2022 World Cup winner set to slot into the back three on the left, Shaw would be able to move to left wing-back.

It is a role he has only done 15 times in 297 games for United. He’s also played there for England, and scored the opener in the Euro 2020 final, a goal Three Lions supporters will not forget in a hurry.

Shaw once described Martinez as a “monster” so unleashing the £48m defender when he is back to full fitness makes sense. It also offers Amorim a chance to change things up, with Dalot struggling for his best form at left wing-back.

Playing Shaw high and wide, allowing him to get crosses into the box on his strong foot, is a move that seems to make sense for the manager. With the disappointing form and general misprofiling of Dalot by Amorim, replacing him with Martinez could make the Red Devils a more well-rounded team. It could finally spell the end for the Portuguese in United colours.

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