Harry Amass plays for Man Utd U21s after missing out on Michael Carrick’s squad vs Chelsea

Harry Amass featured for Manchester United’s under-21s after being left out of the first team squad to face Chelsea on Saturday afternoon.

Manchester United travelled to London on Friday by train ahead of their Premier League clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Winless in eight matches, Michael Carrick is clinging on to his job, but he has been given more time to turn results around.

The biggest story from the travelling squad is that Kobbie Mainoo was included after returning to training on Wednesday morning, although Carrick hinted he would be involved on Thursday. However, Marcus Rashford and Luke Shaw remain absent, and neither was spotted boarding the train to London.

• Manchester United squad members vs Chelsea
• Goalkeepers: Lammens, Darlow, Heaton, Mee
• Defenders: Maguire, Martinez, De Ligt, Heaven, Yoro, Dalot, Mazraoui
• Midfielders: Fernandes, Baleba, Mainoo, Mount, Santos, Tielemans
• Forwards: Mbeumo, Amad, Cunha, Lacey, Zirkzee

Despite Shaw’s injury, meaning Carrick doesn’t have another senior left-back in his squad right now, the 45-year-old coach did not include Harry Amass in the squad. The academy graduate played for the under-21s as they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Monaco at Leigh Sports Village.

Harry Amass features in U21 Monaco defeat after first team snub

Amass has been limited to just 29 minutes in the first team this season, and Carrick has opted to shoehorn players better suited to different positions into the role – ahead of the youngster. That is why it came as no surprise to see Amass switch agencies ahead of the January transfer window.

It could be argued that he will learn more from playing regularly with the U21s than being overlooked – at all costs – in the first team. If Amass is not going to get a run in the team at United now, when is he going to?

Adam Lawrence’s side were up against it in the Premier League International Cup on Friday night. It took just three minutes for Monaco to open the scoring. They doubled that lead 9 minutes later, giving United a bigger hill to climb.

The Reds grew into the game towards the end of the first half, and they pulled one back just 7 minutes after the break. Monaco applied more pressure and restored their two-goal lead after the hour mark.

Although Amass wasn’t at fault for any of Monaco’s three goals on the night, he didn’t threaten anywhere near enough on his crossing when he did get forward. That said, the 19-year-old recycled the ball well in possession.

In the final minutes, Amass kept battling on, trying to make something happen that would benefit the young United side. The Reds scored another in stoppage time when Jim Thwaites’ corner was flicked on by Enzo Kana-Biyik at the near post, and the keeper flapped at it to give United a second.