Ruben Amorim must be having sleepless nights after seeing the performances of his Manchester United forwards with the first team managing a meagre two goals in their last four Premier League games.
Rasmus Hojlund’s dismal form coupled with Marcus Rashford’s departure and Amad’s injury has meant the head coach hardly has any other option at his disposal.
Which is why he turned to Chido Obi for the match against Tottenham Hotspur and even though the 17-year-old managed only a three-minute cameo, bright things await the ex-Arsenal starlet.
While he could not prevent his team from crashing to yet another loss, the wonderkid became the club’s 252nd academy graduate to make his debut for the senior team.
Chido’s attitude to training is so refreshing
As The Daily Mail have revealed, the Denmark youth international’s attitude in training and his humbleness have caught Amorim’s eye with the Portuguese tactician praising the academy striker after the Spurs tie.
“The 17-year-old routinely gives up days off to work on his craft,” was how the report described the 17-year-old’s attitude to training, something that will have caught the coach’s attention.
“Sources around the first team speak of the player’s humbleness and the impression he has made on Ruben Amorim and his staff across the last three weeks, the time period where he has really stepped up to become more of a factor in the senior side.”
And he has the support of Joshua Zirkzee and fellow countryman Patrick Dorgu to guide him with The Mail claiming the striker is close to the pair.
“Joshua Zirkzee is providing something of an older brother role for Obi, sources say, while fellow Dane Patrick Dorgu has been key to helping the 17-year-old settle in the first-team dressing room.”
Being helped by two United new boys
It is clear that United have on their hands a special talent, someone who is born to score goals as seen from his statistics for the academy this term.
He has netted 12 goals in as many games including seven strikes in three FA Youth Cup games including a hat-trick against Chelsea in his most recent appearance for the U18s.
Chido Obi (17 years, 2 months, and 18 days old) also became United’s third youngest Premier League debutant behind Angel Gomes (16y, 8m, 20d) and Shola Shoretire (17y, 19d).
The player thanked the head coach for the debut but it was clear for all to see that he should have got more minutes given United’s problems up front. Amorim has to trust him more moving forward.
Feature image Matt McNulty via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
