Gary Neville questions decision to start ‘limited’ Man Utd star: ‘It will never work’ | Football

Gary Neville has warned a midfield partnership of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte was ‘never going to work’ after Manchester United’s defeat to Leeds United.

Michael Carrick suffered his second defeat since taking the reins at Old Trafford on Monday night with Leeds securing a famous 2-1 win to ease their Premier League relegation fears.

The United boss was forced into two changes last night with Kobbie Mainoo ruled out after picking up a knock in training. Ugarte started his first game under Carrick in his place in midfield.

Harry Maguire was suspended as a result of the red card he picked up against Bournemouth with Lisandro Martinez returning from injury to replace hm – before he himself was sent off in the second-half.

With Noussair Mazraoui also starting at right-back ahead of Diogo Dalot after a recent bout of illness, United were far from full strength with Neville admitting he had concerns the moment he saw the team sheet.

United have made rebuilding their midfield a top priority this summer with their limitations in a long-neglected area of the pitch on show against Leeds. Without Mainoo, their only other central midfield option was 19-year-old Tyler Fletcher with him and Mason Mount remaining among the subs.

While Neville saw problems elsewhere in the XI, midfield was his biggest concern, insisting Ugarte’s limitations on the ball meaning he and Casemiro together cannot be considered a viable partnership for the remainder of the season.

‘When I saw the team, I wasn’t sure about it,’ Neville said on the Gary Neville Podcast.

‘Maybe it was Mainoo not in there, Maguire not in there, maybe because Mbeumo wasn’t playing. It just didn’t feel like it was a team that was going to connect together.

‘Maybe it was the Ugarte-Casemiro partnership in midfield which Carrick probably feels he has to use because it is the two he has got and it is the hand he has been dealt. But it’s not a partnership that is ever going to work.

‘Casemiro has been a world class player and there were times he was driving the team forward and scored the goal but Ugarte has been well short since he came to the club and if he is to play alongside someone, he needs a football player beside him because he is really limited on the ball.

‘Carrick has not started him in a game, so that means your midfield is blocked. Sesko up front is more than a target than someone who links. I always think if you have Amad [Diallo], Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha and Fernandes there is a fluidity to it. When Sesko plays, United are very different.’

United will be desperate to have Mainoo available again in time for Saturday’s trip to Chelsea.

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