Manchester United's £60 million defensive midfielder shows two weaknesses, disliked by Amolin despite being a trusted player! Awkward halftime substitution

Following Manchester United's defeat to Grimsby, manager Ruben Amolin appeared to doubt that his players were on the same page with him. The Red Devils showed less fight in the first 70 minutes than semi-pro League Two players, particularly in personal battles and second-ball challenges. Ironically, many of Amolin's close associates were the most conspicuous.

At halftime, Amolin substituted Tyler Fredriksen, Patrick Doku, and Ugart together; all three have close ties to him—one he promoted, another he signed, and the third a former player from his Sporting Lisbon days.

Fredriksen performed poorly defensively, showing negligence before conceding the ball; Doku was ineffective, and Ugart once again revealed his old flaw—poor awareness, which led to the first goal conceded. Grimsby's opening goal involved several moments where Manchester United could have done better to prevent conceding.

Firstly, Amad Diallo miscontrolled the ball five meters away, which should not have happened. Then, Ugart and Amad both lost a one-on-one battle at the midfield line; the Uruguayan defensive midfielder was knocked down and remained on the ground.

Grimsby took advantage by breaking through the center; Coby Meno failed to stop the pass, Eden Haven did not apply pressure, Fredriksen watched as the opponent took the shot, and Andre Onana conceded near the post.

Among these, Ugart reacted slowly after pressing; the 24-year-old Uruguayan midfielder lingered on the ground for several seconds and did not get up quickly to defend. By the time he returned to the box, 11 seconds had passed, and he could only helplessly watch Charles Frame take the shot and score. Had Ugart rolled over and gotten up immediately, he might have been able to block the shot.

This is not the first time Ugart has shown this issue. Last season, in a match against West Ham United, when Ugart was shielding the ball and the opponent suddenly pulled away, he fell to the ground and stayed down for several seconds. Mohammed Kudus was already approaching the box while Ugart remained kneeling on the grass.

Neither of these challenges should have caused injury to Ugart, but his slow recovery clearly indicates a habitual and awareness problem. When asked about Ugart's performance, Amolin declined to comment: "I don't want to talk about a specific player."

However, Amolin's decision to leave Ugart out in last season's crucial match—the Europa League final—speaks volumes. Despite their past collaboration at Sporting Lisbon, Ugart was once considered a potential beneficiary under Amolin's management, but that did not materialize.

At Paris Saint-Germain, Ugart was sidelined by Luis Enrique due to his tendency to press aggressively, poor positional sense, and rough passing.

Manchester United spent €60 million to acquire him, hoping to strengthen midfield defense, but the Uruguayan's inconsistent performances and the old flaws that PSG disliked persist. He is fierce in interceptions and tackles, but lacks toughness in close marking duels.

Manchester United's interest in signing another defensive midfielder clearly indicates a rejection of Ugart; if Carlos Baleba joins, he will not partner with Ugart but replace him.

When asked if he was 100% sure Baleba would stay this summer, Bucherzer replied: "Yes. If numbers could exceed 100, I would say over 100 percent confidence, so I am very confident."

This means Ugart can at least remain a main rotation option in Manchester United's midfield, but he must work hard to prove himself and handle the basics well.