This season has seen a handful of Manchester United players struggle for minutes despite being more than good enough to play a part.
Having no European football means Manchester United simply don’t have enough minutes to go around this season, with three players particularly losing because of this.
Kobbie Mainoo has been looking to leave United on loan, with a lack of minutes seeing him grow frustrated under Ruben Amorim.
Similar to Mainoo, Joshua Zirkzee has become frustrated after just 82 minutes in the opening eight games this season. But there is one player with even worse opportunities.
Ayden Heaven warming up for Manchester United.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Ayden Heaven deserves more opportunities than he is getting
While not as experienced as Mainoo or Zirkzee, Ayden Heaven is another player who Amorim needs to utilise better.
Arriving for a bargain £1.5m last January, Heaven immediately impressed United fans, stepping up into the first-team, the former Arsenal youth talent was completely at home.
Early signs were that the defender was a top signing as Heaven had a strong opening few months. His performances last season even saw Amorim rave about Heaven’s exciting potential.
TalkingPoints
What Ruben Amorim said about Ayden Heaven signing
“Jason Wilcox is doing a great job bringing in players like this to the club.
“Ayden showed his character after the big injury. We want this kind of player.”
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Many expected he would build on the strong start, but Amorim has not given him the chance to show his development, only giving Heaven three minutes in the Premier League so far (67 in total – 64 minutes vs Grimsby).
When he joined, United believed Heaven was a generational talent and now it will be up to Amorim to help him find that potential, but he will need to play him to achieve this.
Ruben Amorim should start Heaven ahead of Luke Shaw
The effort United went to for the signing of Heaven speaks volumes as to how talented the club believe he is, which will surely have Jason Wilcox frustrated by Amorim’s usage this season.
But this could and should change quite easily, considering Luke Shaw is the player standing in his way right now.
Shaw has been performing well this season, but not in a way Heaven is incapable of doing, which makes it nonsensical that Amorim isn’t using the youngster.
Heaven is the future for United, Shaw is the past and so Amorim needs to give him more minutes, preferably before Lisandro Martinez returns.
If Heaven isn’t going to play, a loan to a club at the lower end of the Premier League should be on the cards to help him develop.