Why did MU substitute Zirkzee immediately after the first half against Wolves?

Joshua Zirkzee was the one who put MU ahead, yet he was substituted immediately after the first half even though he showed no signs of physical problems.

Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 19th round of the Premier League. Coach Ruben Amorim confirmed that his decision to replace Joshua Zirkzee immediately after halftime was tactical, not due to injury.

The Dutch striker earned a rare start, replacing Mason Mount in the starting lineup, and was the one who scored for Manchester United with a deflected shot that found the net. Zirkzee also played a role in Wolves’ equalizer by heading on a corner kick, setting up Ladislav Krejci for a close-range finish at the far post.

The two teams went into halftime tied at 1-1, and Zirkzee did not return for the second half, being replaced by young player Jack Fletcher. The 24-year-old forward sat on the bench right as the second half started, but his substitution was unrelated to any fitness concerns.

In this match, Amorim reverted to his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation, starting Zirkzee instead of Mason Mount for Manchester United. After the game, Amorim explained that his substitution decision was based on tactical reasons:

“We had to work very hard to regain possession. They packed the midfield and we struggled against that. Sometimes attacking with fewer forwards is more effective. We played with three forwards — Cunha, Josh, and Sesko — and sometimes that’s not the best way to organize our attack.”, Amorim told Sky Sports.

Manchester United faced Wolves missing eight first-team players, with Mason Mount sidelined due to injury again. However, Amorim refused to use that as an excuse for the team’s underwhelming performance.

“We struggled throughout the match. The team lacked creativity, but we expected this to be a different game compared to Newcastle. The energy in the match was not the same. Looking at the play, we still had chances, but the lack of cohesion prevented us from playing smoothly.”, Amorim commented.

“The players tried their best. But when you don’t play well with the ball, you also struggle without it. We need to recover and focus on the next match.”, he added.

This costly draw caused MU to miss the chance to overtake Chelsea in the standings. They currently sit in 6th place, two points behind the Champions League qualification zone. However, the gap could widen if Liverpool defeats Leeds in a later match.