With Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee still managing only five Premier League goals between them so far this season to go along with a lingering injury crisis, the Man Utd boss has been increasingly willing to offer Obi opportunities in the first team over recent weeks.
Obi has continued his sensational scoring run at youth level since leaving Arsenal for United last year and, after hitting another hat-trick in the FA Youth Cup against Chelsea, was recently called up to train with the first team before being included on the bench for each of the last four matches across all competitions, making cameos in the top-flight against both Tottenham – his senior club debut – and Everton.
He had three strong chances to score and was denied a potential extra-time winner late in the first period only by a superb save from Fulham hero Bernd Leno.
Why is Chido Obi not in Manchester United’s Europa League squad?
United return to Europa League action when they travel to Spain for the first leg of their last-16 tie against Real Sociedad on Thursday night.
However, Obi will not be involved as he has not been named in United’s revised squad for the knockout stages, which was submitted to UEFA last month before the club considered the teenager to be a first-team player.
Having avoided a two-legged knockout play-off tie by finishing third with an unbeaten record in the league phase, United were able to make three changes to their 25-player ‘List A’ squad for the knockout stages before the February 6 deadline, with replacements needed for Marcus Rashford, Tyrell Malacia and Antony, all of whom left the club on loan in January.
Added in their place were January signing Patrick Dorgu and Obi’s fellow new teenage recruit from Arsenal Ayden Heaven, who made his senior United debut off the bench as an extra-time replacement for the injured Harry Maguire on Sunday, plus first-team coach and former midfield stalwart Darren Fletcher’s son Jack.
Not included in United’s ‘List A’ squad, Obi also crucially does not meet the necessary criteria to be included on ‘List B’, which can be added to up until 11pm the night before a game.
It is reserved for club-trained players born on or after January 1, 2003, who have been with their employers for an uninterrupted period of a minimum of two years.
Obi was born in 2007, but has only been with United for a period of months. Heaven does not meet the ‘List B’ criteria for the same reason after joining in January, likewise Fletcher who joined United along with twin brother Tyler from rivals Manchester City in 2023.
The oft-criticised Hojlund and Zirkzee therefore remain the only senior forwards in United’s ‘List A’ squad along with Amad Diallo, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with ankle ligament damage suffered in training last month. Alejandro Garnacho, himself without a goal since November, is on ‘List B’.
Ineligible for the Europa League and with United now out of both domestic cup competitions following that agonising loss to Fulham, Obi can only continue to gain first-team minutes in the Premier League this season.
Joining him on missing out on the trip to Sociedad are the injured Amad, Maguire, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans, though Dorgu is back amid a domestic suspension and Toby Collyer fit again.
Amorim has only named a squad of 18 players for the first leg rather than the usual 23, including youngsters Dermot Mee, Elyh Harrison, Harry Amass, Heaven and Collyer.