It has been a difficult start to the season for Manuel Ugarte, but he is hoping to turn a corner by proving he warrants a place in the Uruguay squad ahead of the World Cup.
Manchester United have just one win from their first four games of the season, after beating Burnley 3-2 at Old Trafford before the September international break.
Ruben Amorim will hope that United can record back-to-back wins on Sunday when the Red Devils host Man City in the Premier League.
Amorim has yet to settle on his preferred line-up for the new season, with further changes expected following Senne Lammens’ arrival from Royal Antwerp. There is also a conversation to be had about the midfield department.
Moreover, Amorim has yet to start a league match with a centre-forward this season. That could change for the Manchester derby after Benjamin Sesko started twice for Slovenia during the recent international break.
Manuel Ugarte jumps to win a header for Uruguay vs Peru
Photo by Ernesto Ryan/Getty Images
Manuel Ugarte set to start against Chile
Uruguay will face Chile, knowing they already have a place secured ahead of the World Cup next summer.
It’s a completely different story for Chile, which recently lost against a Casemiro-inspired Brazil, having failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
After being overlooked in Amorim’s starting line-up at the start of the season, Manuel Ugarte confirms that he will start for Uruguay against Chile and use the game as an opportunity to prove himself.
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“I’m going to start,” Ugarte told ESPN. “I’m very well, very happy. I feel physically fit, and I want to take advantage of this opportunity to show why I’m on the national team.
“Being in a World Cup is a huge achievement, and for a player, it’s something incredibly important. I went to the last World Cup, and it was beautiful, both for me and my family.”
As things stand at United, Casemiro is the preferred holding midfielder in Amorim’s system.
The Brazilian veteran, 33, is in the final year of his contract. Ugarte should be aiming to push him for a place in the team.
Perhaps a strong performance against Chile will give Ugarte the boost in confidence he needs to turn things around at Old Trafford, after an underwhelming debut season in England.
Amorim will be paying close attention.
Why is Casemiro most likely to start in the Manchester derby?
Unlike Ugarte, Casemiro will get a rest when Brazil play their final World Cup qualifier against Bolivia.
Casemiro is suspended, and that means he doesn’t need to play a game before travelling to Manchester from South America, with the Manchester derby taking place on Sunday.
One thing I'd like to note for everyone this season that almost no one at all has picked up on, Casemiro actually looks very good
Like, to the point where when he went off vs Fulham, United looked much much worse. He's calmer and moving less
— Dharnish (@dharnishiqbal) September 8, 2025
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Amorim will be cautious of players suffering from fatigue, especially the squad members who face long flights to return.
Moreover, Casemiro has been a regular under Amorim since the end of last season.