Jamie Carragher hit out at Ruben Amorim over his team selection in Manchester United’s defeat to Newcastle on Monday, insisting three of the players in the starting XI “can’t run”.
United have now lost five of their last six Premier League games under Amorim, who’s won just seven points in his opening eight games at the helm.
The first half an hour of this 2-0 defeat to Newcastle was as bad as it’s been for United.
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“You are watching the worst pound-for-pound football club in the country,” Gary Neville said at that point in the game. “They are that bad.”
“It’s worrying times for Manchester United and Amorim. He knew it was a big job but l think it is far bigger than he ever imagined.”
It was around that time that Joshua Zirkzee was hooked in favour of Kobbie Mainoo, with Amorim realising his baffling decision to play the Netherlands international to the left of central striker Rasmus Hojlund was a mistake.
Zirkzee was sarcastically cheered off the pitch, heading down the tunnel before going back to the bench.
“That is brutal,” Neville said on Zirkzee. “I’ve not seen that too many times at Old Trafford in the 43 years I’ve been coming here.”
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Carragher had his say on Zirkzee after the game, questioning Amorim’s decision to start him as well as Casemiro and Cristian Eriksen at the base of midfield, as none of them have the required mobility to succeed in this system.
He said: “We have been speaking about Eriksen and Casemiro on this show 18 months ago. That’s on the manager.
“These players can’t run. We know that. That is on the manager putting these two players in that position and in that system. It is a major flaw.
“We knew tonight they would be on the front foot and I didn’t think they would take a backward step as why would you?
“United have been awful, and you just looked at the lack of mobility and athleticism in their team – not just in Eriksen and Casemiro.
“Zirkzee can’t run, he can’t move. I just couldn’t see anything other than Newcastle winning that game.”
Carragher also picked out Lisandro Martinez, whose defending Neville described as “horrific” on commentary, after the Argentinian was at fault for both Newcastle goals as he failed to defend crosses into the box
“Martinez has been awful,” Carragher claimed. “He has been caught out more in a back three than he was in a (back) four.”
