Amorim acknowledges the unfortunate reality currently facing MU

Coach Ruben Amorim clarifies his controversial lineup choices during the recent Wolves draw, after being criticized for not providing chances to promising youngsters such as Shea Lacey and Chido Obi amid MU’s difficulties.

In the disappointing 1-1 draw with Wolves, the Portuguese coach brought on Jack Fletcher for Joshua Zirkzee and gave playing time to Leny Yoro and new signing Bendito Mandato. However, he opted not to use the two promising attacking talents Shea Lacey and Chido Obi, despite the team's need for goals.

This led to strong criticism of Amorim for not giving appropriate chances to the young players. Explaining this decision, Amorim admitted he did not want to rush the development of the youngsters given the unstable squad situation caused by injuries:

“Everything changes when you put a young player on the field amid a very unsettled lineup; they will face difficulties. That is certain. Only when you have a solid core and everything runs smoothly should you give opportunities to young players. Looking at the reality on the pitch, I knew the team would struggle in some areas and I didn’t want to disrupt the style the club has been building.”

Amorim also explained his tactical adjustments, including returning to a three-center-back formation and moving Patrick Dorgu to the left wing. In the recent 1-0 win over Newcastle, Dorgu played right wing and scored the only goal: “We knew Wolves would play with five defenders and exploit the width. These changes were made to create the best possible situations with the current squad.”

Nevertheless, the Portuguese coach remains optimistic as Man Utd is only two points behind the Champions League spots halfway through the season and believes the team will perform better once key players return.

While Amorim is struggling with current squad issues, a former Old Trafford player, Rasmus Hojlund, is thriving in Serie A. The 22-year-old striker has scored 6 goals in 12 matches for Napoli, surpassing his previous season's record.

The Danish forward is happy at the southern Italian club and eager to stay. Napoli is likely to pay to fully acquire Hojlund from MU, with the deal reportedly worth 44 million euros plus 6 million euros in bonuses.