Chris Sutton has insisted that Ruben Amorim is sending a clear-cut message to two Manchester United players and “telling” them that he doesn’t “rate them.”
Ruben Amorim is looking ahead to Friday for Manchester United’s forthcoming FA Cup clash against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City side at Old Trafford.
United kicked off their FA Cup title defence last month and the Red Devils knocked Arsenal out of the competition in the third round on penalties at the Emirates.
Ruud van Nistelrooy will make his return to Old Trafford for the first time since his interim United managerial spell ended last November.
The 48-year-old United legend had served as assistant manager under former United manager Erik ten Hag before his fellow Dutchman was sacked in 2024.
Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford dugout after he left Sporting CP and the United manager had a mixed start to life in England.
Sutton on Man Utd players and Amorim
Despite their recent successes in the FA Cup and the Europa League, Manchester United have struggled to pick up consistent Premier League form under Ruben Amorim.
The Red Devils languish in 13th place in the Premier League table and Amorim’s men tasted defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace last weekend.
Jean-Philippe Mateta was the difference-maker for Crystal Palace in the second half and his brace clinched all three points for Oliver Glasner’s men last Sunday.
Amorim made the huge call to leave Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund on the bench and started Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine in the 2-0 defeat.
Kobbie Mainoo did well in the opening stages of the first half in the false nine role against Palace, including striking the post for United.
However, the 19-year-old England and United midfielder struggled to make an impact in the later stages of the Premier League match at Old Trafford.
Mainoo was hooked off in the second half and Rasmus Hojlund came on for United, with Joshua Zirkzee also coming off the bench for the Red Devils.
Both Zirkzee and Hojlund have struggled with form this season and Chris Sutton has claimed that Amorim is not a big fan of them in “any way, shape or form.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “If you are Zirkzee or Hojlund and you’re seeing Mainoo – who is a really excellent footballer but isn’t a centre-forward or false nine – being picked, you are thinking: ‘How on earth is he playing in front of me?’
“That is a real problem. Amorim is basically telling the pair of them that he doesn’t rate them in any way, shape or form.
“He could lose these two players, mentally, for the rest of the season now and they might think about not applying themselves.”
Amorim talks Man Utd ahead of FA Cup tie
Amorim has insisted that he is “not naive” and admitted that United are in a “difficult situation” amid his attempts to steer the ship at the Red Devils.
“Yeah, that is clear,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
“It is also exciting! I know when I choose this profession that you have the risk of the results and I already knew when I came here, I look at the schedule, I look at the team and I understood that my decision of changing everything, taking these hard decisions in the middle of the season without new signings, it’s a danger for the coach.
“But since day one, with good results or bad results, I have a clear idea of what I want to do and I take these risks because, in the end, I think it’s going to pay off in the end.
“But I know, I’m not naive, I already said that many times, that this is a sport of results and we are in a difficult situation.”
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