Ruben Amorim has handed opportunities to four academy players in a bid to shake up Manchester United’s training sessions.
Amorim is still assessing which players he can rely on at United after a challenging start, winning just four of his 12 matches so far. Currently, on a four-match winless streak, the last result was a much-improved 2-2 draw at Anfield against Liverpool.
Another tough test awaits on Sunday when United travels to north London to face Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup. Newcastle recently became the first team to win at the Emirates Stadium since April, emphasizing the challenge ahead for Amorim.
To invigorate his squad, Amorim has introduced youngsters Jack Moorhouse, Tyler Fredricson, Godwill Kukonki, and Elyh Harrison to training at Carrington. The four academy players were seen braving the cold with the first-team stars on Wednesday.
Harrison, an 18-year-old goalkeeper, was recently recalled from a loan at Chester and has been training alongside Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, and Tom Heaton. United aims to give him more exposure as they prepare for the remainder of the season, especially if Bayindir leaves this month.
Moorhouse, a 19-year-old central midfielder from Manchester, has primarily played for the under-21s this season and was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for December, earning him a chance to impress Amorim.
Kukonki, 16, and Fredricson, 19, are both defenders who have been involved under Amorim. Kukonki has been on the bench for recent matches against Arsenal and Newcastle and is seen as a promising talent from the academy. Fredricson has experience captaining the under-21s.
While the training session had a youthful vibe, one notable absence was Marcus Rashford. The striker missed the draw against Liverpool due to illness and is still recovering. Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing regarding a potential loan move to AC Milan for Rashford, whose brother and agent, Dane, was in Milan earlier this week. United would prefer to sell the striker, but his £325,000-a-week wages and £40 million valuation could complicate the situation.