Ruben Amorim’s latest Manchester United starting line-up set alarm bells ringing in the head of club legend Gary Neville.
The 49-year-old was on co-commentary duties for the Red Devils’ home clash with Newcastle on Monday evening. And it got off to the worst possible start for the Old Trafford faithful as Alexander Isak headed the visitors in front inside four minutes.
Newcastle confidently knocked the ball around the ageing midfield duo of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen before spreading the play to Lewis Hall, who crossed in for Isak to convert. While dissecting the goal, Neville admitted he has ‘concerns’ whenever Casemiro and Eriksen are picked in the middle of the park. “They have not got the legs to get around,” he added.
A quarter of an hour later, an almost identical goal saw Anthony Gordon cross in from the left for Joelinton to head home.
The Magpies’ midfield trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali were having their way with Eriksen and Casemiro by that point in the game. And Neville’s criticism ramped up accordingly.
He ranted: “You mentioned their age before, they should not be playing together in the Premier League. A little one-two around Eriksen and it’s just so easy for Newcastle.”
Amorim picked an unorthodox starting line-up against Eddie Howe’s men, with Joshua Zirkzee playing as an inside forward behind Rasmus Hojlund, and Matthijs de Ligt playing as a right-sided centre-half. Neville felt they were always going to be lacking in every area of the pitch.
“The two central midfielders have got no legs,” he said. “The wing-backs aren’t strong in the attacking quadrant of the pitch. There’s no balance with Hojlund and Zirkzee up front.
“You’ve only really got Amad [Diallo] who can do something for you. You’re relying on one person. This team will need changing at half-time, and in the short-to-medium-term it will need changing en masse.”
Amorim decided he had seen enough just after the half-hour mark, with Zirkzee brutally hauled off for Kobbie Mainoo despite being fit to continue. Zirkzee, who was already struggling for confidence amid a frustrating first season in English Football, went running down the tunnel before re-emerging minutes later.
Neville continued laying into his former club as they struggled to gain a foothold against Newcastle, calling them “the worst pound-for-pound football team in the country”.
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