Premier League 2024-25: Ugarte’s standout performance at Anfield gives Manchester United hope
The HinduWith seconds remaining in Manchester United’s 2-2 thriller against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, Manuel Ugarte launched a stunning reverse pass to Bruno Fernandes that sent a ripple of fear around Anfield. “His quality on the ball, it surprised me a little bit,” former United midfielder Paul Scholes told Premier League Productions. Ugarte’s shaky start under former manager Erik ten Hag had Dutch legend Marco van Basten among the harshest critics, calling his 41 million euro transfer from Paris St Germain “idiotic”. Scholes credited Amorim’s decision to start Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo in midfield after Casemiro and Christian Eriksen were brutally exposed in United’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United six days earlier as a game-changer.