Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
After his heroics in midweek, Shea Lacey had to settle for an unused substitute role against Fulham. His prospects look dimmer with Amad due back.
There was only one player to come out of the 3-2 defeat to Brighton with any credit. Teenage talent Shea Lacey started that fixture and scored the opening goal, kissing the badge after his special moment at Old Trafford.
Lacey’s reward was a place on the bench against Fulham. It was disappointing although not totally unexpected.
When chasing the game against Brighton, Carrick turned to Bryan Mbeumo, and started the Cameroon international against Fulham too.
Bemusingly, Carrick did not even call Shea Lacey off the bench. It prompted one fan to call out his ‘lack of guts’ to give the young winger his first Premier League minutes of the season.
If not now for Lacey, when?
When will Shea Lacey be given an opportunity in the Premier League for Manchester United?
Michael Carrick is playing the long game with Lacey’s development, but it seems to us that he missed a complete open goal here.
The conditions were perfect…
Playing the Premier League’s bottom club
Craven Cottage is not an intimidating away ground
Lacey full of confidence after midweek goal
Lack of options on right with with Amad out
Carrick chose to ignore these four perfect conditions to give Lacey a shot as a starter, for a 30 minute run out, or even a briefer cameo.
Getty Images
Amad’s return will impact Lacey
Amad is expected to return after the international break, following an injury that has delayed his 2026/27 season. He could be available for selection when the Premier League resumes.
Amad will immediately overtake Lacey in the pecking order and could go straight into the line-up as a starter.
Realistically this will push one of Marcus Rashford, Matheus Cunha or Bryan Mbeumo out of the starting XI. Whoever misses out will be Carrick’s first go-to substitute.
The danger for Lacey is that he does not even make the substitute’s bench.
Benjamin Sesko and Matthijs de Ligt will be joining Amad by pushing for a spot.
Lacey is not a guarantee to make the squad against Tottenham in the first game back, and if he does, Carrick is even less likely to use him.
That just makes his refusal to give Lacey a chance against Fulham look like even more of a bigger opportunity.