Manchester United secured a third consecutive Premier League victory on Saturday evening against Brighton, but Ruben Amorim still made one glaring error during the game by naming Tyrell Malacia on the bench.
The Red Devils claimed a huge 4-2 win at Old Trafford thanks to goals from Matheus Cunha, Casemiro and two from Bryan Mbeumo, despite a late fightback attempt after Danny Welbeck and Charalampos Kostoulas goals. It's the first time under Amorim that the team have claimed three consecutive wins, and pushed them into the top four at the end of Saturday night.
But while the starting lineup was familiar, there was a new name on the bench as Netherlands international Malacia was named as a substitute for the first time this season, which was a surprise for many.
Malacia was part of the bomb squad during the summer transfer window, with Amorim and the club making it clear to him that he had no future at Old Trafford as he entered the final year of his contract on the back of a serious knee injury. He spent the second half of last season on loan at PSV Eindhoven but didn't impress enough to secure a permanent move, while a deal to take him to the Middle East in the summer failed to materialise too.
Amorim Should Give Youth a Chance Over Malacia
Tyrell Malacia during a pre-match warm-up at Manchester United
With Harry Maguire unavailable for the game due to injury, that opened up a spot on Amorim's substitutes bench that would usually be filled by a youngster from the academy.
However, with Malacia now fit after returning to first-team training, it was the 26-year-old who earned the seat, meaning a spot was taken away from a youngster. Ironically, that decision was made on the same day where summer signing Diego Leon, who plays in the same left wing-back role, scored a stunning solo goal for the academy side against Tottenham Hotspur.
While Malacia is undoubtedly more proven at the elite level, this was a chance for Leon to gain some first-team experience and potentially earn a chance to make his debut for the club. The club is built on having a pathway from the academy to the first-team, and these types of opportunities don't show themselves every week.
Leon will appreciate playing the game for the academy, and that will aid his development, but there is nothing like experiencing a first-team match day and potentially getting on the pitch in the Premier League to help you develop and improve.
It's clear to everyone associated with the club that Malacia won't be here next season. There is no interest in renewing his contract, and even if he doesn't leave in January as expected then he will surely be released. Leon, on the other hand, has been brought in for the future, so why bother with Malacia at this stage, when other options are available?
It was a mistake by Amorim, who is slowly gaining favour with the fans after positive results, and he would have been better served looking at the future of the club rather than serving someone who is clearly part of their past now.