Man Utd: Call made to bench star man vs Atletico Madrid

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick

After yet another woeful display at the weekend, Manchester United have been urged to bench a recent signing who already looks like a bad piece of business

The bulk of Man Utd’s summer transfer window was spent overhauling the midfield. Three news faces arrived – Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.

Manuel Ugarte is a long-term injury absentee, meaning of the four senior midfielders available to Carrick, only one, Baleba, is defensive-minded.

The others, Santos, Tielemans and Mainoo, all favour the attacking side of the game, and worryingly for United, they’re all relatively slow and immobile.

Tielemans and Mainoo’s deficiencies were badly exposed in the 1-1 draw with Spurs, with Gary Neville insisting it’s a partnership that must be shelved.

Adding to the issues Tielemans and Mainoo faced is the fact Bruno Fernandes commits to very little defensive work from the No 10 position, thus leaving United with a two-man midfield when out of possession.

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And according to the opinions of respected journalist, Henry Winter, it’s Tielemans who must be dropped to make way for Baleba to start next time when Man Utd face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday.

“I thought it was really poor… I just thought until Baleba came on, their midfield was too open,” Winter told talkSPORT.

“I still don’t understand why they need Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. Tielemans was gettable and a decent name.

“But I think he gets in Bruno Fernandes’ way and you need another defensive midfielder alongside Kobbie Mainoo.

“I think he [Tielemans] should be on the bench. I don’t think he’s got the acceleration, that mobility, awareness to get back and help out, which is not a strength of Fernandes.

“So, effectively, you’re just leaving Mainoo to do it.

“Baleba and Mainoo, absolutely, but the money they spent on Santos and Tielemans, I wish they spent on a defender.”

Winter then questioned the acumen of United’s decision-makers, suggesting the club may simply have signed Tielemans because he was a recognisable player with a release clause.

“I think there was maybe a desire that they saw someone that was a name that was gettable, they clearly want to address the midfield this summer,” he said.

“But with Casemiro going, you needed more defensive-minded midfielders.”

Winter then called for Baleba to now start in Tielemans’ place, adding: “Baleba makes sense, I’m surprised he didn’t start.

“He has to start. The defence hasn’t got much pace in it and he needs to be shielding that defence.”

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