- Manchester United suffered a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace after Ruben Amorim’s tactical gamble failed
- Mainoo started brightly but struggled as the game progressed, leading to his eventual substitution
- Amorim confirmed United are pushing for transfers before the window closes but refused to comment on Bayern’s forward Mathys Tel
Manchester United’s turbulent season took another hit as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace at Old Trafford.
The decision by head coach Ruben Amorim to start Kobbie Mainoo in a false nine role instead of traditional strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee raised eyebrows, and the gamble ultimately backfired.
Mainoo started the game brightly, hitting the post in the early stages, but his influence faded as time went on.
With United chasing the game, Amorim eventually introduced Hojlund and Zirkzee from the bench, but neither could make an impact. The result marked another frustrating night for the Red Devils, whose home form has been a major concern this season.
Addressing his controversial selection in the post-match press conference, Amorim clarified that the decision was purely tactical,
“Today we chose to play with Kobbie…to use the characteristics of Kobbie, this is nothing against Rasmus Hojlund or Josh [Zirkzee]. Sometimes the team scores goals by creating situations to use the right characteristics.”
However, United’s lack of cutting-edge in attack was glaring. Amorim acknowledged that the team needed to improve in all aspects of their game, particularly in front of goal,
“It doesn’t mean if we use two strikers we’re going to score more goals. It’s a team problem, and we spoke about that all the time,” he admitted.
United’s home form has been woeful this season, and Amorim conceded that while there were slight improvements, they counted for little without results,
“When you continue to lose at home, you have that feeling that the small improvements mean nothing,” he said.
To add to United’s woes, Lisandro Martinez was stretchered off in the 83rd minute, with Amorim describing it as a “serious situation.” He stressed the defender’s importance both as a player and as a character in the dressing room.
With the transfer window closing soon, Amorim confirmed that the club was working to bring in reinforcements but refused to comment on Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel,
“We are trying everything to improve the team without making the mistakes of the past,” he stated.
United will have a chance to bounce back on Friday, February 7, when they face Leicester City in the FA Cup, a game that could be crucial for Amorim’s Manchester United.
Amorim to offload two Man Utd stars in January transfer window
Previously, TheRadar reported that Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim appears ready to make bold decisions regarding his squad, as reports from Manchester suggest the Portuguese tactician is prepared to offload two high-profile players during the January transfer window.
The former Sporting CP manager, who replaced Erik ten Hag in November, has endured a turbulent start at Old Trafford and is eager to reshape his team for the remainder of the season.
