Toby Collyer hailed his first start in European competition for Manchester United as a dream come true as he continued his recent rise to prominence under Ruben Amorim.

The 20-year-old played 73 minutes of the 2-1 win against Rangers, pushing United to the brink of qualification for the last-16 of the Europa League and hopefully avoiding a two-legged play-off in February.

It was only Collyer's second start for United and his first since September having recovered from an injury that kept him out of the early weeks of the Amorim era. After an early error when he was caught in possession and presented a big opportunity to the visitors, he settled down to turn in an assured performance.

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"[It's an] unbelievable feeling. These are the nights you dream of as a kid, to make my first start in the competition and get the win is the most important thing," the former Brighton prospect said.

Collyer was handed a start alongside Christian Eriksen in midfield, with Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo dropping to the bench. The selection decision confirmed Casemiro's status as the fifth-choice midfielder in Amorim's squad, with Collyer leapfrogging the five-times Champions League winner, who has been available for transfer during the January window.

Collyer came on ahead of Casemiro during United's thrilling FA Cup win against Arsenal when Diogo Dalot's red card had reduced them to 10 men, but his eye-catching display at the Emirates has brought him towards the front of Amorim's thoughts.

Casemiro hasn't played a minute for United since the 2-0 defeat to Newcastle at the end of 2024 and has now been an unused substitute for five successive games. In that time, Collyer has racked up 174 minutes and is beginning to get to grips with Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system.

"Just things to improve on," Collyer said when asked what Amorim was telling him.

"Things to help me with his system and I think it’s really helped me. Since coming back from the injury I needed to get fully confident when I was back and get up to speed, now I’m making steps with the system and I’m excited to make more steps.

"I think [the system] has been good, I think it suits every player, gives every player options on the pitch and out of possession it helps everyone. I think it’s a really good system."

Collyer, who described Amorim's training sessions as "really intense", has struck up a good understanding with Bruno Fernandes on the pitch and revealed what the captain had told him before the game against Rangers.

"Before tonight he was saying just to play my game, treat it like every occasion because he knows I’m good enough," he said.

"He helps me like all the other players and he’s a great person, I couldn’t ask for anyone better."

With little interest in Casemiro, the 32-year-old could return to the fold when the window closes on February 3, but it's clear the club's highest earner has fallen down the pecking order in Amorim's midfield.

For Collyer, the challenge between now and the end of the season is to keep improving his game.

"Just to get better, that’s all I’m thinking about," he said. "Get better, take each week as it comes, each game as it comes. More training, more games, get more experience and then everything else will come with that."