Manuel Ugarte continues to be a liability for United | OneFootball

Manchester United were made to pay for their atrocious first half as Leeds United grabbed a famous 2-1 win at Old Trafford on Monday night.

Michael Carrick suffered his first loss at Old Trafford, and the result was deserved given the abysmal start by the hosts.

They looked rusty, having last played 24 days ago, while the visitors reached the FA Cup semi-finals last week.

The caretaker head coach’s selection calls were questionable to say the least, with both centre-backs, Lisandro Martinez and Leny Yoro, enduring a night to forget.

Starting Ugarte was the wrong call

With Kobbie Mainoo injured, Carrick turned to Manuel Ugarte to start alongside Casemiro in the middle of the park. It was clearly the wrong call.

The Uruguayan continues to look a liability with the ball at his feet, as seen from his poor passing stats.

stats via sofascore

The 25-year-old misplaced 20% of his forward passes, and completed zero dribbles and crosses while also not managing a single key pass.

He was poor when it came to protecting the ball under pressure, losing it on 11 occasions, as Leeds players swarmed as soon as the former Paris Saint-Germain ace had the ball.

Struggled with and without the ball

The South American will argue he was brought in to add steel at the base of the midfield, but even there, he was not adequate.

Manuel Ugarte won only 25% of his aerial duels, and he also lost more than 33% of his ground duels (all stats via sofascore).

The Uruguay international did look better when the hosts were reduced to 10 men, but by then, the damage was done.

United have won only once when Manuel Ugarte has started this season, and that tells its own story. Signed as Casemiro’s successor, the United No.25 has been one of INEOS’ worst buys.

Significantly limited with the ball, and yet to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, it is time for the 20-time English league champions to cut him loose in the summer.

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