Ruben Amorim and Kobbie Mainoo moment in Man United training speaks volumes amid Manuel Ugarte call

Manchester United fans will be delighted to have seen Kobbie Mainoo moving so freely in Ruben Amorim’s first training session.

The midfielder is technically still a doubt for Sunday’s visit to Ipswich Town but there are hopes he will have shaken off his thigh injury to take part. Mainoo was one of nine academy graduates to be handed their senior debut by Erik ten Hag during his tenure, and is perhaps the most successful.

Just 18 months after his first run-out against Charlton Athletic in the League Cup, he was starting the final of Euro 2024. The 19-year-old was no longer a United regular, but became a staple.

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It is unclear who Amorim will ultimately choose in his first-choice midfield, with just two places up for grabs in his 3-4-3 system, should he indeed adopt it at United as expected. Practically, it might be a case that there is only one space available given it would be a surprise to see captain Bruno Fernandes dropped or used on the flank.

An attacking midfielder, Fernandes will surely be partnered with a colleague who sits centrally while he moves forward up the pitch. Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte are both pivots while Mainoo can also operate in the role, even if it isn’t his best one.

With Casemiro out of the picture for Brazil, Amorim has had chance to work with him this international break. And with Mainoo still getting back up to full pace post-injury, he was left out of the England squad and has had the same benefit.

It means both have had crucial time with the new head coach and might be more likely to feature against Ipswich than former Sporting CP protege Ugarte, who scored a stoppage-time winner in Uruguay’s 3-2 World Cup qualifying win over Colombia last week.

Ugarte will be well aware of the system used by Amorim having played 85 times under the Portuguese coach in Lisbon, where he started 61 matches. But new teammates and a new environment mean there is still an element of adaptation needed.

Should he start for Uruguay against Brazil on Wednesday, it could slim his chances of starting at the weekend given the quick turn around South American players face during the international break due to the long-haul flights back to England.

Casemiro and Mainoo have both had a fortnight of no travel. It would make more sense to use them, after a week of tactical input, than the potentially tired Ugarte.

Whether Mainoo is fit enough to start will only become clear in time, but his inclusion in training indicates he will at least be in the matchday squad, barring any late setbacks. And it seems Amorim was preparing him for his way of playing during his first session too.

As players were making their way off the field after an attacking drill, Amorim pulled Mainoo to one side to give him some personal instructions. He appeared to pass on some positional advice as the teenager gets used to his new responsibilities.

It might hint that Mainoo is nearing a return to action, in whatever capacity, given that such a demonstration would unlikely be passed on at this time if he was still some way off a return.

With these tactics fresh and drilled into the mind, it could be him who gets minutes ahead of Ugarte, who - while familiar with Amorim’s the set-up - has not played in it for nearly 18 months. With so little time to readapt before Sunday, Ugarte might, on this occasion, be left disappointed.