Manchester United loaned out four players in January who had a combined nine starts between them this season and only one lined up in the Premier League. Teden Mengi, on loan at Birmingham, has played 30 minutes for the club since his debut on August 5 2020.
Anthony Martial, Donny van de Beek and Amad had practically become irrelevances. Van de Beek has not started a meaningful Premier League match since December 5 2020, Amad's sole start all season was in the dead-rubber against Young Boys and Martial lined up twice in the Premier League.
Yet the difference their absence makes to the perception of the United squad is marked. United have whittled down their core squad to 25 players and that includes third-choice 'keeper Tom Heaton and Hannibal Mejbri, an 18-year-old exposed to 15 minutes of Premier League football who has not trained with the first-team since November.
