Man United 24-yr-old among three players Ruben Amorim must axe vs West Ham
Man United are looking to consolidate their victory over Crystal Palace on 30 November as they next host West Ham on 4 December.
Amid a recent resurgence in form for the Red Devils, former Man United chief scout Mick Brown exclusively told Football Insider that he’s been impressed by tactical changes made by Ruben Amorim to improve their performances.
The Portuguese has consistently come under fire for being stubborn and unwilling to alter his style of play, yet with just one defeat in the last seven, there are signs pointing to progress at Old Trafford.
Ahead of a tasty home clash against a struggling West Ham side, the ex-Sporting CP boss will have some selection headaches to resolve to maintain their confidence.
Joshua Zirkzee
Whilst the forward scored for the Red Devils for the first time since April, Man United fans were not completely sold by Joshua Zirkzee’s first half displays against Crystal Palace.
The Dutchman cooly converted his only chance of the match, but question marks remain over whether the goal will signal a complete turnaround in form.
Although Man United now may re-think selling Zirkzee in January, the timely return of Matheus Cunha could see the number 11 drop to the bench.
Over the busy winter period the 24-year-old can expect to pick up significant minutes, but it is widely agreed that the Brazilian tends to boost the Red Devils’ attack with his link-up play and attacking threat.
Diogo Dalot
One of the outstanding issues in the Amorim set-up is the wingbacks with several options flopping so far this season.
Diogo Dalot has previously come under fire for his performances for Man United this campaign, and wasn’t inspiring against the Eagles.
The main issue with playing the Portuguese in a left-wingback role is his preference to cut inside onto his stronger right-foot, rather than hugging the touchline to create attacking width for his teammates.
Although Amorim has had his doubts over Patrick Dorgu, playing a left-footed wingback could ensure optimal service into the box for the attacking front three, increasing the likelihood of a goals fest at Old Trafford.
Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw’s comeback for United has been nothing short of sensational and he has locked down a starting spot in the back three.
The England international has already played 1110 minutes this season, almost double the amount of the previous campaign due to injury.
That injury record is something Amorim needs to keep in mind, especially ahead of the congested December and January schedule.
With Lisandro Martinez back and working his way to full fitness, an on-paper easier match-up against the Hammers offers a prime opportunity to hand the defender his first start of the season and give Shaw a break.