In what comes as a surprise, Odion Ighalo was not selected by Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer again, despite the new English Premier League rule permitting up to nine substitutes on the bench as Manchester United hit six goals past Leeds United at Old Trafford on Sunday evening.
It was the ninth consecutive game that the former Nigeria international has been left out of the matchday squad, raising questions about his long-term future at the Red Devils with his loan deal set to run out in the next six weeks.
Fides learnt that since his transfer to Manchester United in January, the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations top scorer has not made his full Premier League debut, playing 12 games as a substitute in total, the last coming on the opening day of this season against Crystal Palace.
However, Scott McTominay, set a new Premier League record by becoming the first player to score a brace in the first three minutes of a match.
The Red Devils took a three-goal lead into the second half with Bruno Fernandes and Victor Lindeloef finding the net while Liam Cooper pulled a goal back for the visitors.
Manchester United scored two more goals in the second half through Daniel James and Fernandes but Leeds kept on going in an engaging fashion and were rewarded when Stuart Dallas found the top corner with a brilliant strike in the 72nd minute.