Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has suggested that both Omari Forson and Amad Diallo will play crucial roles in the upcoming weeks, filling in for the injured Rasmus Hojlund.
Hojlund, who had scored seven goals in his last six Premier League appearances, sustained a “small” injury, ruling him out of the match against Fulham. This setback will keep the Dane sidelined for up to three weeks, affecting games against Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, and potentially Everton and Sheffield United. This has prompted a reshuffle in the team, with Marcus Rashford moving to a central role, Alejandro Garnacho on the left, and Forson making his full debut.
“I think it was reasonable,” commented Ten Hag on Forson’s performance. “He had some good actions, was reliable in defending, and showed promise in possession. For his first time, he did well.”
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Amad Diallo, who had seen limited play in the 2023/24 season due to a pre-season knee injury, made a cameo appearance in the last ten minutes against Fulham. Ten Hag noted that the Ivorian looked “very sharp.”
“I think it was a good sub [performance] from him. I think that’s good for the future,” the manager explained. “We need them because we have our problems in the frontline. It’s about them showing they can contribute to this team, have an end product, and demonstrate reliability.”
Regarding Antony, who has not lived up to expectations this season, Ten Hag confirmed that the £86 million Brazilian has dropped in the pecking order for now.
“He is fit, but we have many options on the right side,” said the Dutchman. “We have a lack in other positions due to injury. With the form he showed in the autumn, he has to step up. I see it in training, and others like Omari, Amad, and Garnacho, they deserve to play.”