Ruben Amorim seems to be constantly teetering on the edge of disaster at Manchester United. Whenever results seem to be improving, his players produce another toothless performance. Whenever the mood at Old Trafford starts to improve, United lose another player to injury or AFCON.
Amorim's future is undoubtedly in the balance. He consistently gets criticism for his selections, especially the consistent exclusion of Kobbie Mainoo from the starting line-up, and if results don't improve, Amorim getting the sack before the season is over is a definite possibility.
Despite the dire state of things, Amorim has just been handed a potential lifelong in an unlikely form, in the form of United academy graduate Toby Collyer. Collyer, 21, has been recalled from his loan at West Bromwich Albion due to a calf injury sustained in November, and has returned to Carrington to continue his recovery.
The defensive midfielder had struggled for playing time at West Brom, playing just twelve games in all competitions. This is despite the fact he got considerable playing time under Amorim towards the end of last season, and was at times even favoured over Casemiro by his manager.
It is odd that Collyer never curried any favour in the Championship, as he looked comfortable any time he played for Manchester United. Collyer made thirteen appearances for United last season, and never looked out of place in the 'Casemiro' role, especially impressive considering the demands on midfielders in Ruben Amorim's system.
It is currently unclear when Toby Collyer will return from his injury. However, when he does return, it is highly likely that he will be deployed by Ruben Amorim. Collyer would likely compete with Manuel Ugarte as Casemiro's potential replacement, and would have a good chance of leapfrogging him in the pecking order.
Ugarte seems to have fallen somewhat out of favour in recent weeks, and has even been linked with a move to Galatasaray in the January transfer window. If Ugarte does leave, Toby Collyer would be there to fill the gap in the squad, offering a lot of the tenaciousness and passion that Amorim desires in his midfielders.
Collyer will also undoubtedly be stepping back out on the field with something to prove, as his loan came to an anticlimactic finish. But a bad loan spell is unlikely to shake Amorim's faith in him. Sometimes a loan going badly is a blessing in disguise.
You only need to look back to Amad's difficult loan spell at Rangers in 2022 to realise that ability is not the only reason a loan may succeed or fail. Amad rallied after a difficult six months where he quickly fell out of the starting line-up, and was then sent on loan to Sunderland, where he exploded and returned to United a far more refined footballer.
Amorim can use Toby Collyer to bolster his midfield options, and inject a little life into his midfield pairing when Amorim needs it most. It may not keep Amorim out of the job centre, but if Collyer performs as well as Amorim believes he can, he will be a huge asset for the rest of the season.