Michael Carrick hasn’t really felt the need to rotate his side very much due to a gap between games, but a single selection snub vs Newcastle in the next game could end a career at Man Utd.
With a turnaround time of about four days, this is the last time Man Utd are likely to play two games in less than a week until the end of the season.
It’s a test of Michael Carrick’s squad management credentials, but it will also hint at which players he actually deems worthy of being rotational.
One already has the spectre of the “Omar Berrada rule” hanging over his head, and a snub against Newcastle will mean there’s no way back.
Manchester United's Uruguayan midfielder #25 Manuel Ugarte (L) tackles Aston Villa's Belgian midfielder #08 Youri Tielemans
Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images
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Manuel Ugarte playing against Fulham
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Manuel Ugarte’s Man Utd career will end with Newcastle snub
Despite having two injury risks against Palace, as Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw came off with issues, Carrick took a risk with Casemiro as well.
The Brazilian isn’t at his peak anymore, which means it’s a tall ask to play him in two games in less than a week, and against two of the most physical teams in the league.
United have a clear need for a Casemiro replacement, but in the meantime, Manuel Ugarte is the player whose skill set closely mirrors Casemiro’s, at least defensively.
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If there was ever a chance for Ugarte to stake his claim for more minutes at Old Trafford, this Newcastle game is it, because there will be no need to rotate or manage Casemiro’s minutes afterwards.
He has played a grand total of 27 minutes under Carrick and hasn’t come off the bench in the last three games, so it’s clear which direction the wind is heading.
Even if a short turnaround time doesn’t force Carrick’s hand against Newcastle, Ugarte’s Man Utd career will be over.
Ugarte is on Omar Berrada’s ticking clock
Under the previous regime at Old Trafford, a single snub against Newcastle wouldn’t be cause for an alarm bell, but Ineos are operating differently.
Manchester United have lost ALL FOUR games Manuel Ugarte has started so far this season
Is Ugarte the worst signing Ineos have made in their time at the club?
Manuel Ugarte graphic
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Much has been written about Omar Berrada’s transfer rule, where a new signing is given two years to prove their worth at the club.
He brought that philosophy from Man City, and the upcoming summer will be the first test of it since the 2024 summer window was the first one under Ineos’ command.
From that window, pretty much everyone has established themselves except for Joshua Zirkzee and Ugarte.
Zirkzee is at least getting minutes off the bench, is a valuable dressing room presence, and viable as a depth option when United are in four competitions next season.
Ugarte, on the other hand, is being ignored entirely, struggling for form, and coming into a summer window where United are targeting multiple marquee midfielders.
If he can’t even deputise for Casemiro for a few minutes in two games in four days, then he will have triggered the Berrada rule.
There will be no way back from it.
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