Chido Obi may have dropped back down the Man Utd pecking order (Image: Getty)
Chido Obi's bump up the Manchester United pecking order may only have lasted for a couple of days. After the news of Joshua Zirkzee's season-ending hamstring injury, Obi was suddenly in the frame for more first-team opportunities down the home stretch of the season.
Rasmus Hojlund is the only other out-and-out striker in Ruben Amorim's ranks, leaving Obi in a healthy position to bank senior minutes as the Dane's main deputy. But there was always the possibility of Amorim remedying the situation by fielding a more established player out of position - whether that be by moving Alejandro Garnacho into the middle or playing Bruno Fernandes as a false nine.
A third player also made a convincing case on Thursday night. As United headed for extra-time against 10-man Lyon in the Europa League quarter-finals, Amorim brought Hojlund off and replaced him with Kobbie Mainoo.
It quickly became apparent that, despite Mainoo earning his stripes as a central midfielder, Amorim intended it as a like-for-like change. And the 19-year-old responded with a clinical touch, take and finish in the 120th minute which set the stage for Harry Maguire's show-stopping winner moments later.
Celebrations were wild inside Old Trafford as United punched their ticket to the semis in remarkable fashion. But one player who may have been stung by Mainoo's successful cameo is Obi.
Kobbie Mainoo scored a clinical goal off the bench against Lyon (Image: Getty)
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The 17-year-old, who has been banging goals in relentlessly at youth level, was not eligible to make the B list of United's Europa League squad because he only signed for the academy last year.
And in his absence, Mainoo passed his audition to be Hojlund's back-up, in case he gets injured or needs a rest between now and the end of the season. Mainoo is still regarded as a top talent with a bright future in central midfield - his preferred position. But Amorim evidently feels that he can operate as a centre-forward, having experimented with him there against Crystal Palace in February.
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The composure and technique on show against Lyon proved that there may be something in that theory. And the fact Mainoo spent much of his youth career up front suddenly makes a lot of sense.
"I played a lot as a striker as a kid," he told England Football. "Until about 14, I played upfront and then I started to move backwards into an attacking midfielder and wide player and then I settled in midfield. I enjoyed midfield a lot. I got a lot of the ball, which is what I always wanted. I enjoyed taking people on, nutmegging people. I still do. I always wanted to dribble."
