Ruben Amorim has lost the ‘trust’ and ‘respect’ of a Manchester United star and may struggle to get him back onside this season.
United fell to their fifth defeat in their last six Premier League games as Newcastle tore them apart in the opening half hour of their 2-0 victory over the Red Devils on Monday.
Amorim opted to start Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in midfield in a baffling move deserving of criticism, with Kobbie Mainoo’s introduction after 33 minutes evening things up against Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali.
Zirkzee was the man hauled off in favour of Mainoo and was jeered by the shameful so-called fans at Old Trafford.
Explaining his decision to replace Zirzkee before half-time, Amorim said: “You have to think about the team and also sometimes about the player because the player is suffering.
“I was there a few years ago and I know that he wants it because I saw it during the week. That is the more important thing and he’s suffering during the game.
“I felt the team was suffering and needed another midfielder to have more and then we started to have more ball with Kobbie Mainoo.
“But it was really, really tough on me to do that and I talked with Josh about that because it’s important to express the message.
“But I’m always thinking about the team and, in that moment, it was important for the team [for] Josh [to] go out.”
Gary Neville said he “felt sorry” for Zirkzee, who’s scored four goals in 26 appearances for the Red following a £35.6m move from Atalanta last summer.
“I actually feel sorry for him, I really do,” the ex-England defender said.
“I know he’s earning a lot of money here, but there is a human being in there that’s basically been cheered off by his own fans and that is brutal.
“I’ve not seen that too many times at Old Trafford in the 43 years I’ve been coming here, if at all, actually.”
MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Man Utd: Marcus Rashford releases 28-word statement blasting ‘ridiculous and false’ fresh ‘quit’ story
👉 Ruben Amorim writes off one Man Utd star in ‘key’ transfer decision as ‘not credible competition’
👉 Ferdinand pinpoints Amorim’s ‘brutal’ main ‘issue’ at Man Utd amid one ‘huge disappointment’
Former West Ham captain Nigel Roe-Coker believes Amorim will have to go some to rebuild his relationship with Zirkzee, who “will never trust him again”.
“It’s a tough experience for a player and a tough pill that Ruben Amorim will have to swallow,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“As a player, when you go through a moment like that, you need to think about the human element.
“He will look at Ruben Amorim and never trust him again. He will be able to look at him and say ‘good morning boss’ but he will not have any respect for him deep down.
“It’s an admission from Amorim that he got the team wrong.
“He’s going to have to try to fix the relationship because he will probably have to go back to him at some point and get him back on side and wanting to play and compete.”
