Amorim criticized another Manchester United player again and explained why he was substituted at halftime! The club aims to sell him in the winter transfer window and sign a new striker.

Manchester United was held to a 1-1 draw by Premier League bottom club Wolves. Forward Zirkzee, who rarely starts, scored, but his situation in the team worsened. Coach Rúben Amorim repeatedly scolded him for lazy defensive work in the first half, and even after scoring, he was substituted at halftime. English media reports described Amorim as often going berserk over Zirkzee’s choices.

When 18-year-old Jack Fletcher replaced Zirkzee, Old Trafford erupted in applause. It’s hard to say if the crowd was supporting young Fletcher or expressing dissatisfaction with Zirkzee; most likely, it was a bit of both.

Amorim explained the reason for the substitution: "We struggled in midfield because the opponents had more players. Sometimes, having fewer forwards actually improves the attack. At that moment, we had three forwards—Cunha, Joshua (Zirkzee), and Szeszko—and sometimes that’s not the best choice for offense. We had to run everywhere trying to control possession."

English media revealed this was not Amorim’s first time showing frustration with Zirkzee during a match. In the previous 1-0 win over Newcastle United, the 24-year-old Dutchman came on as a substitute in the second half, and Amorim was also upset with his lack of pressing.

Now, despite scoring, Zirkzee’s chances of leaving Manchester United have increased rather than decreased. After the match, as he left Old Trafford, some fans shouted to him, "Zirkzee, good luck in Rome."

Rumors say Serie A club Roma has reached an agreement with Zirkzee, and the transfer deal might happen after the African Cup of Nations ends in mid-January. Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Manchester United intends to sell Zirkzee to make room for a new signing.

Romano said: "As far as I know, Manchester United will only allow Zirkzee to leave if they find a replacement first. After failing to reach an agreement with Antoine Semenyo, United has resumed searching the transfer market. They are looking for an attacking player because Zirkzee is on the verge of leaving, possibly joining Roma. So keep an eye on Manchester United as they may strengthen their forward line in the January window. They are actively seeking suitable candidates for this."

Amorim said: "We struggled throughout the match and lacked creativity in attack. But we knew in advance this game would be different from the one against Newcastle United, and our energy was different too. If you review the 90 minutes, the team created some chances, but the attack wasn’t smooth because we lacked coordination."

He added: "Of course, we are disappointed. The game was poor, we didn’t create enough opportunities, and the flow of play was lacking. We knew if the opponent set up defensively, it would be tough. We tried playing three forwards from the start but it didn’t work well. We attempted adjustments in the second half. Today, we were unlucky and never found a good rhythm."

Amorim clearly pointed out the team’s weaknesses: "When the opposition has more defenders at the back, you have to work harder, create more chances, be more imaginative, and play differently. We lacked that ability today. The players worked hard but performed poorly. Without good ball control, it’s tough even off the ball. We need to adjust and prepare for the next match."