Manchester United might’ve squeaked through to the fifth round of the FA Cup but it wasn’t without jeopardy.
Ruben Amorim’s side were put through their paces against the Premier League strugglers, with Leicester having taken the lead during Friday’s contest.
Joshua Zirkzee tapped in an equaliser midway through the second half to level things up before Harry Maguire headed home in added time to spare United’s blushes, although it would have been ruled offside if VAR was in place.
One step forward into round five, perhaps. But another two steps backwards for the Amorim project at Old Trafford.
Friday’s narrow victory was another stark reminder that the players available to Amorim right now are well below par and if United want to make a success of whatever remains of this season, they might have to drop some of the senior players from their XI.
Chief amongst them, from the players who started against Leicester, is Rasmus Hojlund.
The striker joined from Atalanta as part of a £72million deal two summers ago, despite netting just 10 times for the Italian outfit.
He hasn’t taken well to life in English football and another haphazard showing in the first half on Friday night summed up his shortcomings, with Hojlund failing to register a shot of any kind during a lacklustre opening 45 minutes.
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Zirkzee coming off the bench and taking his chance wouldn’t have helped Hojlund’s cause either.
It was a similar case for Kobbie Mainoo, who not for the first time this season was hooked at half-time by Amorim.
There’s no denying Mainoo’s prestigious talent, but close to three months into the Amorim project, it’s clear the pair aren’t suited to each other’s styles.
Deployed in the attacking diamond for the Leicester match, Mainoo failed to threaten a Foxes backline that has already conceded 53 times in the league this season.
And with Chelsea said to be sniffing around Mainoo, the teenager might be forced to look for minutes elsewhere, should the evident incompatibilities with Amorim continue.
As for Leny Yoro, it’s unlikely United will be forced into a transfer any time soon, but the youngster still looks out of his depth in the United backline at the time being.
Granted, a pre-season injury meant he lost a decent chunk of time on the training pitch with his team-mates, but Yoro’s appearances in a red shirt since coming back haven’t been the most comfortable.
Lisandro Martinez’s season-ending injury will mean Yoro will feature more for United, but based on recent showings, the Old Trafford outfit’s best XI doesn’t have the 19-year-old included.