Manuel Ugarte enjoyed his most fulfilling night yet for Manchester United since his £50.75million deadline day transfer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ugarte instigated the counter-attack that Christian Eriksen scored from against Fenerbahce and denied Dusan Tadic an equaliser with a goal-saving block eight minutes later.
The 23-year-old had not started in United’s previous three matches, having been dropped after the 3-0 defeat at home to Tottenham. Casemiro could still replace him against West Ham but United’s midfield is so depleted they only have three options as Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Toby Collyer and Dan Gore are all injured.
“For sure, the six position is a key position in your team, and he has to learn this position in our game model,” United manager Erik ten Hag said. “I think today is a step forward, so really pleased with his performance, and from here on he has to build on.
“We have Casemiro. He’s doing lately also, again, very good. We have people there who can fill in that role. We have Kobbie and I think Christian Eriksen is doing brilliant in this moment.
“You have to integrate them. He (Ugarte) came late in the window and then we had to integrate him during the competitions, and that takes time. We have to stay patient but, as you see, if the quality in that position is not right it’s very difficult for a team to control games, and then I don’t even speak about dominating games.
“So, that position needs one who brings the quality all the time, and we have to integrate him now in this team. As I said, I’m pleased with his performance today and from here on he can build up.”
Ten Hag conceded United also have to “do better” with their injury record if they are to have a successful season. United have already recorded 17 significant cases of injury or illness this season after 66 instances last season. Antony was carried off on a stretcher during the 1-1 Europa League draw with Fenerbahce on Thursday evening.
Nine United players were absent through injury in Istanbul but Jonny Evans is due to be available for the Premier League fixture at West Ham on Sunday. Evans, 36, has started in United’s last two league games.
United appointed Gary O’Driscoll as their head of sports medicine last year and physio Jordan Reece followed him from Arsenal in the summer. United’s medical staff were criticised for failing to patch up Matthijs de Ligt’s head injury in their 2-1 win over Brentford last week after De Ligt had to be tended to for a third time. With De Ligt off the pitch, Brentford defender Ethan Pinnock scored from a corner.
“Yeah, that holds us back in our levels,” Ten Hag admitted of the injury issues. “And also in our position in the league. Because when you don’t have the players available, you can’t line up the best team. And that is what’s holding us back in this moment.
“We need more players, often available. And then we have to work all together on this point. And that is the players, the coaching staff, all the other staff. We have to do better to get more available players.
“Because we know when we have them, we are a really tough team to play. And when we have them, we can be really successful. And that is what we have shown over the last couple of months.”