Ex-Manchester United and England midfielder Paul Scholes has now attempted to explain Ruben Amorim’s hardline stance around one first-team star at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim has managed to weather an early storm (for now) in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign after a mixed start to the new season at Old Trafford.
The 40-year-old Manchester United manager found himself under increasing pressure after the Red Devils crashed out of the Carabao Cup competition.
Grimsby Town hosted United at Blundell Park for the second-round tie and the League Two side caused a stunning Carabao Cup upset over the Red Devils.
Following United’s penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town last Wednesday, the Red Devils were able to bounce back ahead of the September international break.
United welcomed Burnley to Old Trafford in the Premier League and the Red Devils picked up their first win in the 2025-26 campaign with a 3-2 victory last Saturday.
READ MORE: Ineos now told they have landed ‘ultimate solution’ for Man Utd and Ruben Amorim in one summer transfer signing
Manchester United legend and TNT Sports pundit Paul Scholes ahead of the Europa League match between Manchester United and Real Sociedad at Old Trafford in 2025 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
More United News
Paul Scholes tries to explain why Ruben Amorim is snubbing midfielder Manuel Ugarte at Man Utd for the starting XI
Ruben Amorim’s tactical system at Manchester United has once again come under the spotlight, specifically for the manager’s midfield pairing early in the season.
The ex-Sporting CP head coach has preferred a two-man midfield pivot of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, with the latter dropping into the deeper role this season.
However, United have found their midfield overwhelmed at times and Amorim has only turned to Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte for more sporadic appearances.
Speaking on The Overlap, Paul Scholes is convinced that United manager Amorim cannot work out the best midfield pairing amid the choices at his disposal.
The 50-year-old ex-United midfielder is convinced that Amorim “probably doesn’t like” using Manuel Ugarte and Scholes would also double down on that claim.
“Now, I think he’s got four or five midfield players in there and he wants to play two of them,” Scholes said.
“He can’t get it right. He can’t get the combination right. Ugarte and Mainoo, he doesn’t like; Casemiro and Mainoo, he doesn’t like.
“Casemiro-Fernandes is the one he seems to be going for a lot, but that isn’t going to win you a Premier League [title].”
The United legend added: “He probably doesn’t like Ugarte, absolutely.”
READ MORE: Rio Ferdinand leaves Michael Owen speechless with huge Man Utd prediction ‘someone’ told him, ‘It can’t take…’
The Manuel Ugarte puzzle remains on the mind of Man Utd fans amid Ruben Amorim’s midfield pairings
Manuel Ugarte played under Amorim at Sporting CP, but the 24-year-old defensive midfielder is struggling to establish himself under the United manager again.
The Uruguayan midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at United and is often preferred as another option to Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes at times.
Ugarte has played in three of the opening four matches this season across all competitions and was left as an unused substitute in United’s win over Burnley.
The Uruguay international has only managed one start for United against Grimsby Town and Amorim hooked him off at half-time for defender Matthijs de Ligt.