Manchester United slumped to yet another defeat on Monday night, losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle United.
Just when you thoughts things couldn’t get worse for Manchester United, 2024 came to an end in dire fashion.
United lost 2-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day and fans were hoping to a boost ahead of the New Year.
Instead, United were arguably even worse and were 2-0 down inside 20 minutes at Old Trafford.
United couldn’t get back in the game with Ruben Amorim now suffering a fifth defeat in the last six Premier League games.
Fans will hope for a better 2025 but Amorim has accepted a potential relegation battle – words no United fan wants to hear.
Gary Neville on Ruben Amorim’s Joshua Zirkzee plans
Most United fans can accept that Amorim has walked into a difficult situation, but also that he isn’t exactly helping himself in many ways.
Starting with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in midfield together against an energetic Newcastle side was never going to end well.
Amorim also decided to deploy striker Joshua Zirkzee on the left side of his front three, charging him with the task of supporting Rasmus Hojlund up top.
Zirkzee was substituted after just over half an hour with United fans brutally cheering him off the pitch.
Gary Neville has now admitted that he was concerned about Zirkzee’s role against Newcastle before the game even started.
Neville has noted on the Gary Neville Podcast that he asked Amorim about Zirkzee’s position in a pre-match interview and was left worried with the answer.
Neville was hoping to see Zirkzee in a front two alongside Hojlund but Amorim wanted to play him on the left, leaving Neville feeling that there was simply no balance in attack.
The former United defender added that Amorim got his team selection wrong, from Zirkzee’s role to the lack of legs in midfield and defence.
“Zirkzee in that left pocket, and I asked Ruben Amorim in my interview before the game ‘is he playing in that left pocket’, thinking that he might play two up top and play Amad floating and I thought it might be a slightly different change, maybe that will work, having two up top,” said Neville.
“He said ‘no, he’s playing on the left’ and I thought… there’s no balance there.
“The team selection, I thought it was wrong – I did – and that’s not me sticking the knife into any manager, I just thought it was wrong. You can’t play that back three with that midfield two, it’s got no legs,” he added.
Italian media on Zirzkee to Juventus
Zirkzee has struggled since his big summer move from Bologna and has scored just three Premier League goals this season.
Monday’s substitution was a real humiliation for Zirkzee, especially with United fans effectively cheering on his departure from the defeat.
It’s unclear just how Zirkzee can recover from this blow and speculation surrounding a move to Juventus continues.
Tuttosport claim that the path towards a deal for Zirkzee is ‘more open than ever’ after being substituted against Newcastle.
Juventus boss Thiago Motta coached Zirkzee at Bologna and a reunion may help the Dutchman get back on track.
United won’t want to offload Zirkzee so soon after signing him but having axed Dan Ashworth, nothing is out of the question.
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