Manchester United's January transfer activities could have a huge impact on their final position, and Fulham star Antonee Robinson could be a real problem solver for head coach Ruben Amorim if a deal can be reached.
With United forced to spend millions to part ways with Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag, questions remain over how much money there will be to spend this winter. They may ultimately have to get creative with their signings to leave behind a team capable of playing according to their new boss' preferences.
The left wing-back has been a problem area, which may need to be resolved if Amorim can continue with his favored 3-4-3. Neither Luke Shaw nor Tyrell Malacia have been reliably fit, leaving the naturally right-winger to replace Diogo Dalot on the left.
Several reports have suggested that Robinson is among the players under consideration after another impressive season with Fulham. Not only could the US international be able to provide a reliable presence on the left; he also has the tools to contribute both going forward and defensively.
Robinson, 27, has seven assists in the Premier League this season. That takes him to ten for the calendar year – four more than any other Premier League defender in the same period.
Four of those assists came in the month of December. a period in which he captained Fulham several times. He set up Alex Iwobi's clincher in the 3-1 win over Brighton and set up both goals in a 2-2 draw against league leaders Liverpool, before ending the year by feeding Harry Wilson to put Fulham ahead against Bournemsilvouth .
However, it was not enough for victory. Marco Silva's side led twice against Andoni Iraola's men, but Dango Ouattara's late goal allowed the visitors to come away with a point.
Amorim and United are 14th ahead of their match against Newcastle on Monday evening, and will be unable to finish the weekend in the top half of the table. However, they could still climb to 11th if they beat Eddie Howe's side and Brentford lose to Arsenal on New Year's Day.
“We have to fight everything, because our supporters are always there. But they are tired of this moment,” said the Portuguese, who wants to avoid a third league defeat in a row after defeats against Bournemouth and Wolves.
“We have to expect that any Newcastle game near our box will make the stadium nervous and our players have to deal with that. They are a very strong team, very fast, with a lot of pace and a lot of time with the same coach. We want to be competitive and try to win the match.'
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