Harry Armas' performances have attracted a lot of attention as Manchester United's pre-season tour progresses. According to the Manchester Evening News, the young defender has shown a lot of strength on the tour, leaving United with a simple but important decision to make - whether or not he should be officially included in the first-team squad. The backdrop to this proposal is the team's injury problems in the backline, particularly the re-injury of Luke Shaw, which has stretched United's options at the defensive end even further.
Luke Shaw's injury has undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Manchester United's defense. The England international suffered an injury before the season even started, and his availability for the upcoming Community Shield is uncertain. Worse still, United's backline seems to have fallen under the "injury curse", with a number of players collapsing one after another, causing the team's defensive strength to be greatly reduced.
In such a scenario, the rise of Harry Armas is especially important. The 17-year-old youngster has been given multiple starts in preseason and has improved with each game. He has shown great defensive awareness and physicality and has been a breath of fresh air in United's backline. With injuries to starters such as Luke Shaw, United are in dire need of a young player who can step up and Harry Armas is undoubtedly one of the most suitable candidates.
However, it will not be easy to officially include Harry Armas in the first team squad. He will need to face stiffer competition and a more complex playing environment. But as the Manchester Evening News points out, United have no choice. With a backline full of injuries, they have to rely on young players to fill the gaps. And Harry Armas' performances have proven that he has the strength and potential to do so.
Of course, promoting Harry Armas to the first team needs to be done with caution. He needs to be given enough game opportunities to work on himself, as well as the careful guidance and help from the coaching staff. Only then will he be able to stand his ground in the fierce Premier League and contribute to the United defense.
