Manchester United rediscover the real Kobbie Mainoo after Ruben Amorim’s clever change | OneFootball

A calming victory in Europe over FCSB steers Manchester United through to the Europa League last 16 in third place. Crisis? What crisis?

Ruben Amorim certainly needed to experience this. His initiation to life in Manchester has, the man himself admits, left him feeling, and looking, 10 years older than he is.

Catastrophes on the continent, with two-goal leads against mediocre opposition thrown away with alarming regularity, played a major role in Erik ten Hag’s downfall.

Under Amorim, while the performances have not always been that inspiring, the results have improved, markedly, on the continent. More pertinently, supporters have been able to travel back home to Manchester without fear of embarrassment when faced with colleagues at work.

For their final Europa League first phase encounter, with a spot in the top eight all-but secured, thousands of tickletless United fans took advantage of the cheap flights and even more appealing booze prices to soak up the Eastern European hospitality.

Quite who United were facing was open to debate, with FCSB, previously known as Steaua Bucharest before being renamed in 2017 after a long-running legal dispute with the Ministry of Defence, who owned Steaua under Nicolae Ceausescu dictatorship.

A pre-match tifo in the impressive National Arena, celebrating the recently-departed Helmut Duckadam, the goalkeeper who saved four shootout penalties against Barcelona in the 1986 European Cup final to bring Ol’ Big Ears behind the Iron Curtain, told you that this remains Steaua in all but official name.

United came into their trip to Romania unbeaten in their previous 12 group or league phase matches in the Europa League and one of three in this year's competition yet to taste defeat.

open image in gallery

Diogo Dalot tapped home at the back post to give Man Utd a deserved lead (AP)

It appeared that record may be under threat as the hosts, whose chances of a top-eight finish were much more precarious, looked the more likely to score early on. Mihai Popescu on the stretch somehow contrived to miss from close range from the first half’s most promising opening. United’s vulnerability from set plays was again clear for all to see.

Something really did have to give at the interval. Rasmus Hojlund continued to look ineffective as an attacking threat, or one even capable of holding the ball up, while Christian Eriksen, deployed in a more advanced role, was forced further back into Amorim’s system.

Another of those utilised in a more advanced attacking position was Kobbie Mainoo. Under Erik ten Hag, Mainoo got United supporters all hot under the collar, as much as any of the Class of 1992 ever did, with some all-action displays and stunning goals.

open image in gallery

Kobbie Mainoo scored a goal and made an assist in a higher role for Man Utd (AP)

Amorim has remained unconvinced, however, concerned by a perceived lack of legs. After substitute Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes had both hit the woodwork, Mainoo’s cross for Diogo Dalot to open the scoring gave Amorim a timely reminder of his abilities, following a well-worked United move.

"I can understand my players better. I put Kobbie Mainoo in that position, we need time to understand the players as he was struggling a lot defending as a midfielder,” said Amorim after the game. “As a 10 he was so free playing the ball near the box.

“In the second half, you can see the opponents getting tired and slower when covering the space. We had more space with Kobbie between the lines and one-on-one with Amad and the pace of Alejandro Garnacho. I think it helped an awful lot. We managed to score two and we should score more. We had positions, sometimes four v two, and we have to do more with this kind of play.”

His finish eight minutes later, after being picked out by Garnacho, sealed that crucial, calming success, and suggested a new-found role might suit him more in Amorim’s plans.

United had chances to make the victory more comfortable, but the manner of the win – one that never felt in jeopardy during a much-improved second-half showing – is much more valuable to Amorim.