This is something that I've started to notice and become concerned about over the last few weeks.

At this moment, it isn't anything to be super worried about but it has the potential to be considering how it affected the team and more importantly, the reigns of past managers.

It isn't a bad thing to have your favorites or those that you trust more than others but it does start to become a problem when that trust becomes unhealthy.

What I mean by this is that when a manager starts to over-pick a player to a point where it is potentially detrimental to the team, then it becomes unhealthy. That blind backing of players is not something you want to see from your manager.

We've seen in the past where coaches have stuck by a player through thick and thin (which is admirable) but when that player isn't paying you back, isn't displaying anything in return to warrant this constant selection, it starts to look like favoritism.

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And that leads me to Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot.

I believe that our manager has chosen these two as his sort of lieutenants on the field, his 'right-hand men' if you will.

Is it because they're Portuguese? I don't know but it is a bit of a coincidence.

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People may not agree with me saying that I think Amorim has a bit of favoritism as they would say that Bruno and Dalot are two of our most reliable players in the squad. They are always available and one cannot question their professionalism and attitude. These are things that former coach Benni McCarthy pointed out in an interview last year so I don't blame these people who may disagree with this statement nor do I completely disagree with the manager for constantly picking them.

After all, you would rather have players with the right attitude over those who don't have it.

Last season, Erik ten Hag was A L W A Y S selecting Rashford and Bruno to a point where we all felt that this will be part of the reason as to why he'll fail at United, just as he did.

To be fair to ten Hag though, last campaign, he was ravaged with injuries to nigh on everyone in the squad to a point where he was playing sort of fit players and others out of position just to make a starting XI!

This meant he had to pick those that were fit regardless of their form. It made his selections a bit more understandable.

But whenever there were those that were fit and ready and showing more than some players, the Dutchman would continue to pick certain others in the team anyway resulting in us all questioning whether he has favorites.

This is where I believe Amorim is at at the moment in terms of certain selections.

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Diogo Dalot:

Games - 19

Starts - 18

Subbed off - 0

Sub appearances - 1

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Bruno Fernandes:

Games - 19

Starts - 19

Subbed off - 2

Sub appearances - 0

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The two players that have played the most for Amorim have been Bruno and Dalot. This on the one hand displays their incredible reliability and availability which is a skill in itself but also how much the manager has been picking them.

To be fair to the manager, they are the two that have played the most anyway but under the Portuguese, they have seriously been a mainstay and if not for suspensions, they would have played a little more.

They are two of our more inconsistent players this season with Dalot in particular having a massive dropoff from player of the season last season to this. Whilst he is out of position as LB/LWB, it isn't an area of the pitch that is entirely unknown to him. There were performances in the past where he played there and we all praised him thinking we would be okay without a proper left-back knowing that Dalot can perform like he is.

And now, I don't know what's happened to him.

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Bruno is also very up and down in his performances and while he will more often than not get you a goal and/or assist, his overall game could be lacking, just like the win over Leicester.

He is also being moved from CAM to number 8 which may not help his performances but it certainly shouldn't be dipping this badly. As he is the captain, one of our more experienced players and is one of our best, for him to be as inconsistent as he is is not ideal.

Amorim also now has the options to rest/rotate Bruno and Dalot that which wasn't at our disposal a year ago. We've been crying out for a LB/LWB for the best part of a year as Shaw and Malacia have been injured. Shaw is injured again while Malacia has gone on loan.

I understand why Dalot was playing then but now we have Dorgu. The Dane can play on the right as we know but asking this team to be able to play with inverted wing-backs when they can't do the basics is too much. It's too technical for them.

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Dorgu should've just been at left-back against Leicester and he could've used Dalot on the right. I believe that a natural left-footer would've given United a bit more balance and allowed us to keep things simpler on that left flank and even the right as that is Dalot's position should the manager have wanted the defender to be in his team.

Amorim could also play Mazraoui as RWB or LWB and he has been arguably our best and most consistent player this season wherever he's played, something that cannot be said for most including Dalot.

The choice of Amad as RWB is there as well. Most would prefer this because Amad looks a lot better down the wing than in the middle as CAM.

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Speaking of number 10, Garnacho and Mainoo can play in those positions. Bruno does not always have to feature further forward even though it is his best position.

There are options as number 8 as well as while the likes of Collyer, Casemiro and Eriksen may not be ideal, it's clearly not working as well as Amorim would've hoped with either Bruno or Mainoo next to Ugarte.

There are choices.

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This doesn't mean that Bruno and Dalot should never start nor play for the club again but rather, just rotate them. He can even start them and substitute them if necessary which is what I believe he should've done against Leicester.

This could also allow the manager to have an extra attacker which at the moment, looks like exactly what we need.

Playing more defenders than attackers isn't working as we still concede and lose games while not having anything going forward.

Yet when we have all of Amad, Garnacho, Mainoo, Bruno and a striker, that is five of the starting XI that are forward thinkers which could help us in trying to create more chances for the number 9.

If he adds that balance of a Dorgu on the left this could make us even better still.

Dalot can't make overlapping runs because he isn't confident on his left as he always cuts in and slows down attacks. Bruno can be all over the place and il-disciplined in terms of positioning and play style which is not necessarily what you want.

I also believe that just overplaying them in general could be a reason for these average performances. Overplaying players isn't a good thing as these two have played nonstop for quite some time. They are also regulars for the national team.

If the only reason the manager is picking these two is based on trust, then we have a serious problem. If Amorim believes he cannot trust the rest as he does his fellow Portuguese, then we really do need to clean house.

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This is just a personal feeling. I have no idea whether this is true or not but I've just had this uncomfortable feeling over recent weeks.

Having seen this happen under Ole and ten Hag to their demise, I don't want the same for Amorim.

This isn't a major concern (yet) but should it continue for a few more games, then maybe we have to look into it more.

Do you agree with this or do you think I'm making a us about nothing?

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Background Image: Ruben Amorim | Photo by MB Media/Getty Images via Eurosport