Saturday Fulham Stuff - 24/02/24...

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Manchester United starlet Harry Amass won't be involved against Fulham despite left-back crisis
Manchester United youngster Harry Amass will not be involved in the senior squad taking on Fulham on Saturday afternoon.

Erik ten Hag's side once again find themselves in the midst of an injury crisis at left-back with Luke Shaw facing another spell on the sidelines.

United released a statement this week, expecting him to be unavailable for 'a few months' with reports suggesting he is unlikely to play again this season, also leaving his participation in England's Euro 2024 campaign in doubt.

With Tyrell Malacia still recovering from a long-term knee injury, United fans have been eager to see 16-year-old starlet Amass handed a chance to shine in their absence.

The left-back has trained with the first-team on several occasions since the turn of the year, joining senior squad again this week ahead of the visit of Fulham

But Amass was named in the starting XI for United's Under-18 side taking on Middlesbrough early on Saturday afternoon, effectively ruling him out featuring against the Cottagers later in the day.

Victor Lindelof has come on to slot in at left-back in United's last two games with Sofyan Amrabat also deployed in that role earlier this season.

Malacia, one of ten Hag's first signings in Manchester after arriving from Feyenoord in 2022, has not played since May last season.

The Netherlands international underwent knee surgery but his absence has been a source of intrigue and frustration for supporters.

Ten Hag was asked specifically about Malacia ahead of last weekend's clash against Luton, revealing the Dutchman is still not back in training and is 'some weeks' away from rejoining the squad.

'He had setbacks during his rehab process,' ten Hag said. 'It takes too long, it's bad for him. Bad for us.

'But now we've turned a point and it's positive – he will return soon on the pitch. I don't think then it will take long before he's returning in the team training.'



https://metro.co.uk/2024/02/24/man-utd-starlet-harry-amass-wont-involved-fulham-despite-left-back-crisis-20340152/?ito=newsnow-feed

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Erik ten Hag set for reunion with ex-Man Utd star who deliberately avoided him
Manchester United face off with Fulham on Saturday and a blast from their past on the opposition as former midfielder Andreas Pereira lines up for the Cottagers

Big things were expected of Andreas Pereira at Manchester United, particularly when he scored the club's goal of the season in the 2018-19 campaign.

A stunning, unstoppable right-foot shot from 25 yards out set United on their way to a 3-2 comeback win against Southampton in March 2019 and underlined Pereira's huge potential. But when Pereira walks out at Old Trafford on Saturday, it will be in the white of the opposition Fulham, rather than the iconic red of United, a club where he seemed destined to be a major star, before fate decreed otherwise.

 That 2018-19 season proved Pereira's breakthrough one at United, the attacking midfielder making 22 appearances in all competitions after loan spells in Spain with Granada and Valencia. Having joined United in 2012 from PSV Eindhoven, Pereira looked to have finally cemented his status as a first-team player, after developing and gaining experience in La Liga.

Recognition of his progress came with the award of a new four-year contract in the summer of 2019, with Pereira starting United's opening game of the season, a 4-0 win over Chelsea. That Covid-interrupted season, Pereira made 18 Premier League starts for United, but became marginalised midway through, the arrival of Bruno Fernandes in January 2020 pushing him out of the picture.

 In fact, after Fernandes made his debut on February 1st 2020, in a goalless draw at home to Wolves, Pereira did not make another Premier League start for United. Out of favour again, Pereira went out on loan again in October 2020, a spell in Italy with Lazio followed by a stint with Flamengo in Brazil, his burgeoning United career suddenly feeling like a trick of the mind.

When he returned to United in the summer of 2022, Pereira had made his mind up to leave on a permanent basis and admitted he went out of his way to avoid newly-appointed boss Erik ten Hag. Pereira did not want Ten Hag to convince him to stay, only to find himself surplus to requirements again, so deliberately steered clear of the new man in charge.

"I didn't speak with Ten Hag," recalled Pereira. "I know him because I worked with him at PSV but I was determined in my head and maybe if I spoke with the manager again I would stay. In my head I was thinking 'I need to go, I need to feel confident and play' and that's what I did.

"At United I had a lot of memories. I arrived when I was 16, it was an amazing ride, but I got to the stage where I thought maybe it was best not to stay. I wanted to feel more loved and I wanted to play every game. What Fulham offered me, it was the perfect opportunity."

Pereira, now 28, has certainly earned the regular playing time he craved at United, having started 22 of Fulham's 25 Premier League games this season, coming off the bench to be involved in the other three.

The switch to Fulham has been vindicated. In his first season, Pereira scored five goals as Marco Silva's side finished 10 th , and while this season he only has a solitary strike, the Brazilian has established himself as a key player for Fulham, something he never managed to do at United.



https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/man-utd-fulham-andreas-pereira-32185787