Cristiano Ronaldo’s insight proved invaluable against ex-teammate Christian Eriksen during Portugal’s loss to Denmark.
Portugal ultimately fell short, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat, with Manchester United‘s Rasmus Hojlund netting the decisive goal that sealed their fate.
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Ronaldo could be seen giving Costa some intel before the penalty was taken
But the match featured several tense moments.
In the first half, Christian Eriksen saw his penalty saved by Diogo Costa, who dove to his right, parrying away the shot.
Before Eriksen’s penalty, previously unseen footage shows a potential tactical intervention by Ronaldo.
A video circulating on X captured the poignant moment Ronaldo whispered to Costa just before the penalty was taken.
Having played alongside Eriksen for two seasons and in 15 matches during his time at Old Trafford, Ronaldo’s possible insight into Eriksen’s penalty habits may have inspired Costa’s successful save.
However, this unexpected assist might just be considered Ronaldo’s most impactful contribution to the match.
His only other notable involvement came from a header that unfortunately sailed wide of the post.
Remarkably, Ronaldo also had the fewest touches (30) of any outfield player who played the full 90 minutes during the tie and didn’t manage a single shot on target.
Adding to the drama, Eriksen had another shot cleared off the line by his Red Devils teammate, Diogo Dalot, and a free-kick saved, as Denmark pushed for a breakthrough.
Their persistence ultimately bore fruit when Hojlund struck late in the game.
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Rasmus Hojlund netted the decisive goal that sealed Denmark’s winCredit: UEFA via Getty
The victory felt richly deserved for Denmark and their new manager, Brian Riemer, who will head to Lisbon for the second leg with a sense of confidence.
He later defended his actions, stating: “It was not to mock him or anything. I’ve always said he has had great importance for me and my football career.
“I’m playing against the world’s best footballer, my idol, and to score and become the match-winner, it couldn’t be better.
“Scoring against him and Portugal is huge; I went to see him in 2009, when he scored from a free-kick, and I’ve been a fan ever since.”
Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford ended in 2022 after a tumultuous falling out with manager Erik ten Hag, culminating in his contract termination following an interview with Piers Morgan.
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Ronaldo had the fewest touches of any outfield player who played the full 90 minutesCredit: Getty
He then joined Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia on a record-breaking deal, quickly making an impact and igniting a flurry of high-profile player transfers to the Saudi Pro League.
Ronaldo has won the Arab Club Champions Cup and finished 2023 as the world’s top scorer. In 2024, he shattered the Saudi Pro League scoring record.
Furthermore, he etched his name in history as the first player to top-score in four different leagues. He also equalled the record for most top-level matches played by a male professional footballer.
Now, the loser of the impending tie will find themselves entering Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group, which is rounded out by Greece and Belarus.
Hojlund pulls out Ronaldo’s Siu celebration after goal against Portugal
Manchester United have identified their ‘most likely’ striker target for the summer.
A move for the forward could also see Rasmus Hojlund leave Old Trafford in a swap deal.
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Hojlund could be included in a blockbuster swap deal this summerCredit: AFP
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The United forward is expected to leave the club at the end of the seasonCredit: Getty
The Danish striker has struggled for consistency in front of goal since signing from Atalanta last summer.
He has scored 24 goals in 82 appearances for United following his strike against Leicester on Sunday.
However, that goal was his first for 21 matches after an agonising goal drought for the Red Devils.
Hojlund is now expected to leave the club in the summer despite having three years remaining on his contract.
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talkSPORT’s Alex Crook told Inside Devils: “I think he’ll move on at the end of the season. I think there’s interest from Italy.
“I think Ineos and Ruben Amorim are not necessarily convinced that he’s the man to lead the line moving forward.”
Prior to joining United, Hojlund scored nine goals in 32 Serie A appearances for Atalanta.
He had been the Red Devils’ top scorer during his debut campaign but his goals have dried up significantly this term
The 22-year-old’s departure would leave Ruben Amorim short of attacking options, with Joshua Zirkzee his only other senior striker.
Although youngster Chido Obi-Martin has appeared this term after joining from Arsenal, a new striker would likely replace Hojlund in the squad.
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Victor Osimhen could be join United with Hojlund heading the other wayCredit: Getty
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Hugo Ekitike is not in a rush to leave Eintracht Frankfurt for a new clubCredit: AFP
As for potential additions, Crook added: “(Hugo) Ekitike has been played down to me today. I’m not sure he’s in any desperate rush to leave his current club.
“I think (Victor) Osimhen is the most likely because I think he’s going to be available for the type of price that United can afford.
“I think his wage demands have come down from where they were a year ago, obviously he’s been playing in Turkey, and I think he has that proven pedigree.
“So it wouldn’t surprise me if Hojlund goes back to Italy, and there’s interest from the likes of Napoli I’m told, and Osimhen comes in the opposite direction.”
Victor Osimhen enters the final year of his Napoli deal this summer, two years on from winning the Serie A golden boot.
The Nigerian is currently on loan at Galatasaray, where he has scored 26 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions.
Man United legend spotted consoling Rasmus Hojlund after underwhelming 14 minute cameo
As for Hugo Ekitike, both United and Arsenal have been linked with the 22-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt star.
However, the French Under-21 international is valued at around £67million by the German side, with four years left on his deal.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe claims there are players in the Manchester United squad who are not good enough to play for the club and ‘overpaid’.
Over the last ten years, the Red Devils have forked out over £1billion on transfer fees.
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Ratcliffe believes some players at the club have been paid more than they’re worthCredit: Getty
In fact, United are second to only Chelsea in terms of the most spent on transfers in the last five years.
Yet the large investments into the playing squad have largely failed to transform the club’s fortunes on the pitch.
It has come to a head this season as United are on course for their lowest-ever finish in the Premier League era having come eighth in what was an all-time Premier League low last season.
Although a multitude of factors across the board have contributed to the Red Devils’ demise, the level of quality amongst the players and the transfer fees attached are two of the biggest according to Ratcliffe.
In an interview with the BBC, Ratcliffe pointed out such were the high fees for five players, United will only fully pay off their transfers this summer.
“These are all things from the past, whether we like it or not, we’ve inherited those things and have to sort that out,” Ratcliffe said.
“For Sancho, who now plays for Chelsea and we pay half his wages, we’re paying £17million to buy him in the summer.”
When pressed whether he had suggested the five players named weren’t good enough for United, Ratcliffe replied: “Some are not good enough and some probably are overpaid, but for us to mould the squad that we are fully responsible for, and accountable for, will take time.
“We’ve got this period of transformation where we move from the past to the future.
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United paid an eye-watering £73m for Sancho in the summer of 2021Credit: Getty
“There are some great players in the squad as we know, the captain is a fabulous footballer.
“We definitely need Bruno (Fernandes), he’s a fantastic footballer.”
With United’s many financial missteps in the transfer market in previous years, it makes manager Ruben Amorim‘s job to improve their fortunes on the park that much harder.
Amorim, who has lost eight of his 17 Premier League matches in charge, was only able to sign one player of his choosing in the January window.
Amorim’s United project has struggled to gather momentum since he took over in NovemberCredit: Getty
Given Ratcliffe’s claims about the state of the squad, it explains why he’s given Amorim a pass mark in terms of his results since taking over last November.
“If I actually look at the squad which is available to Ruben, I think he is doing a really good job to be honest,” Ratcliffe said.
“I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do.
“He’s an excellent manager and I think he will be there for a long time.”
Amorim will look to continue earning Ratcliffe’s backing when United host Real Sociedad for the second leg of their Europa League last 16 tie, live on talkSPORT.
The contest is evenly poised at 1-1 following the first leg in San Sebastian.
Despite not scoring in his last 19 fixtures, Troy Deeney insists Rasmus Hojlund is not the biggest of Manchester United’s worries.
The misfiring Dane has netted just seven times in 36 appearances across all competitions this term.
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Hojlund has been unable to escape the spotlight amid his alarming goal droughtCredit: Getty
However, his barren run in front of goal is somewhat emblematic of the Red Devils’ struggles in recent months as they sit a lowly 14th in the Premier League.
Given United forked out £72million to bring Hojlund to Old Trafford from Atalanta in July 2023, his 19-game goal drought should sound major alarm bells and signal he may not be the right man to lead the line.
But Deeney believes the blame cannot land squarely on the 22-year-old’s shoulders and believes Hojlund’s struggles stem from a lack of attacking verve across United’s forward options.
“I feel sorry for him because in those 19 games, I don’t remember a chance that you go, ‘Oh, he should have scored that,’” Deeney told talkSPORT.com.
“The chances he’s getting are kind of iffy chances.”
Deeney added: “The final quality’s not been great, not just for him but Manchester United on a whole. I think there’s a lot he can do and improve on, but I don’t think it’s right to go, ‘He’s the problem.’
“I think as an attacking force, they’ve been relatively poor this year.”
Even if Hojlund has not benefited from a solid amount of service via his teammates, a goal drought as lengthy as his could prove to be a major psychological challenge to overcome.
Deeney, like all strikers, endured his fair share of spells without scoring throughout his career.
But there was one training drill Deeney used to do with Chelsea icon and former Watford manager Gianfranco Zola that left him ‘humiliated’ but proved pivotal in changing his goalscoring fortunes.
Manchester United’s top Premier League goalscorers this season
Name
Goals scored
Bruno Fernandes
6
Amad Diallo (injured)
6
Marcus Rashford (out on loan)
4
Joshua Zirkzee
3
Alejandro Garnacho
3
Matthijs de Ligt
2
Rasmus Hojlund
2
Lisandro Martinez
2
It is perhaps something Hojlund could adopt, if he hasn’t already, should his misfortune in front of goal continue.
“If lads went through spells of not scoring, we’d strip it down to its basics and do shooting drills with no goalie,” Deeney said.
“Now as a player, you’d hate that because you kind of feel a bit humiliated.
“But you get used to hitting the back of the net again, then you bring the goalie in.”
Deeney also pointed out goals are often borne from confidence on the pitch and is largely down to the individual in question.
However, the former Watford hero does not believe a player at United needs that confidence to come from external sources.
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Hojlund will hope to avoid a 20th consecutive game without scoring on Sunday against ArsenalCredit: Getty
Instead, the mere fact of playing for a club of that stature should be enough.
“I believe confidence is based on you, confidence is for myself,” Deeney said.
“But a lot of the new players, everyone pussyfoots around and makes them feel like they’re the best thing since sliced bread.
“Go and earn it. You play for Manchester United, it’s the biggest club in world football. F****** strap your big boy pants on and get after it.”
Another United forward who has endured a rough patch of late is Joshua Zirkzee, who joined in the summer from Bologna.
Jeered by his own fans after being hauled off in the first half of a clash against Newcastle, Zirkzee also missed a penalty during the shootout that sealed the Red Devils’ exit from the FA Cup against Fulham.
Andy Goldstein & Darren Bent discuss Rasmus Højlund’s recent POOR form for Manchester United
However, the Dutchman rebounded and scored for United in their 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad in the Europa League last Thursday.
Deeney noted Zirkzee has ‘showed character’ since the infamous substitution against Newcastle.
But Deeney did not hold back when it came to pointing out his biggest gripe with Zirkzee and Hojlund as he offered some sage advice for the pair.
“Both of them, I want them to shoot but f****** act like you’re going to score,” Deeney said.
“They shoot hoping that they’re going to score, like, ‘If I kicked this at the goal, hopefully it takes a deflection and it goes in.’
“Go and make it happen, go and get it done. That would be my frustration with the two of them.”
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Zirkzee hasn’t enjoyed the greatest of goalscoring fortunes since joining from BolognaCredit: Getty
Deeney added: “Wrap it in, have a bit of confidence. If you miss, so what? People think you’re crap anyway.
“If you score, you score. But go with the intention of trying to score.”
Manchester United must avoid a move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta – they should’t be fooled by his sparking form.
That’s the view of ex-Watford striker Troy Deeney, who believes the Frenchman is enjoying a purple patch in front of goal.
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Mateta has been a player transformed since Oliver Glasner took over at Crystal PalaceCredit: Getty
Mateta has been in sensational form for Palace of late – scoring eight Premier League goals from his last eight games.
It is a marked contrast from the first half of the season, where he found the back of the net just four times from Palace’s first 19 top-flight fixtures.
Mateta’s recent purple patch has reportedly left Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim impressed with what he’s seen, to the point where he could come calling for the Palace star in the summer.
However, Deeney believes it would be a foolish move from United’s end given Mateta scored only 13 goals from 83 appearances in all competitions for Palace before Oliver Glasner arrived in February last year.
When asked whether Mateta is the answer to United’s striker woes, Deeney told talkSPORT.com: “No, because he’s not the answer for Palace.
“So why is he going to be the answer for Manchester United?”
In response to being told Mateta’s form under Glasner includes 28 goals in 46 games, Deeney replied: “Did he never play before that? OK, so we take people from that small sample size and go, ‘That’s what it is?’”
Mateta’s importance to Palace aside, Deeney also held grave fears as to whether the 27-year-old could even step up to the level required of a United player.
Although the former Hornets skipper pointed out United and Palace operate with a similar formation, which could benefit Mateta, the stature of the two clubs is ‘completely different’.
“I think Jean is a very good player, by the way,” Deeney remarked.
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Mateta’s goal tally has been boosted by an impressive run of late
“But he’s a very good player at Crystal Palace. I was a very good player at Watford. Going to the levels of these big clubs is completely different.
“The only thing that plays into his favour is they kind of play a similar formation with Palace at the moment, where he’s the lead one through the middle.
“But I would argue that Palace’s No. 10s are better than what Manchester United have got currently.
“So I think he’s going through a good vein of form because Palace are in a good moment. No-one was saying they should have signed him in pre-season.”
Deeney’s verdict on Mateta comes amid the prolonged struggles for United’s incumbent strikers.
Rasmus Hojlund, who was signed from Atalanta for a whopping £72million in July 2023, has not scored in his last 19 fixtures.
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Mateta has more goals than Hojlund has shots on target in the Premier League
Since his arrival, the 22-year-old has fired in just 23 goals from 79 appearances in all competitions.
It is a goal return far below what United would have expected when they forked out the fee they did for the Dane.
Summer signing Joshua Zirkzee has also struggled to shine since he joined from Bologna.
The Dutchman has been used in a variety of positions for the Red Devils but most predominantly at centre-forward, with only six goals from 41 games to show for his efforts.
Given the pair’s goalscoring woes, United boss Amorim will be tempted to address the issue in the summer window.
Although Deeney can understand why Hojlund and Zirkzee have struggled at Old Trafford, he believes a new face up top is needed.
Simon Jordan blasts ‘cowardly’ Millwall goalkeeper as Liam Roberts could face extended ban for Jean-Philippe Mateta kick
He stated: “You bring in someone to improve them. I think Zirkzee is more of a ten, more than a striker. At Bologna, he was a ten and on the left. People try and force him into the position.
“I think you go and get a proper No. 9 and you allow Hojlund to learn off that No. 9. Maybe someone that’s five, six years older.
“There’s a player there in Hojlund. I still think the same with Darwin Nunez. They’re both great team players that run around and do all the good stuff, they just don’t score.
“I think they need to work on that and be a bit more selfish as opposed to team-oriented, then they’ll get the goals.”
Hojlund, who has started United’s last four games, will hope to avoid extending his goal drought to a 20th game on Sunday as Amorim’s side host second-placed Arsenal.
Should United taste defeat for a 13th time in the league this term, they could find themselves as low as 16th on Monday evening should other results go against them.
Jordan branded Walker’s theatrics ‘preposterous’Credit: talkSPORT
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Hojlund and Walker clashed during the Manchester derbyCredit: Getty
Both players were booked after the Manchester United forward reacted angrily to being fouled by Walker.
However, the defender has since been criticised for theatrically falling to the floor as Hojlund faced up to him.
Roy Keane labelled his behaviour ’embarrassing’ at half-time on Sunday.
Jordan has now followed suit with his reaction to the incident.
Speaking on White & Jordan, the talkSPORT co-host explained: “I have to say, as a huge admirer of Kyle Walker’s, I thought that was preposterous what he did in terms of when Rasmus Hojlund confronted him and then fell on the floor.
“That is indicative of a mindset inside Man City at this moment in time, if you want to use examples and metaphors to try and find out what’s going on, because everyone is trying to find out what the hell is going on.
“They weren’t great against Juventus. They had opportunities, [Erling] Haaland needed to score in that game to open it up.
“But the bottom line is, will City find their way through it? You betcha they’ll find their way through it.
“Is Guardiola showing signs of weakness? I don’t think so.”
Ruben Amorim believes Rasmus Hojlund’s post-match blow-up at Amad Diallo is a ‘very, very good sign’ his players care.
Hojlund was captured having a heated debate with Diallo after the full-time whistle had sounded as the former’s double helped Manchester United to a 2-1 win over Czech side Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League.
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Diallo chose not to square the ball to Hojlund in the middle late in the gameCredit: TNT Sports
The Dane could and perhaps should have had a third in second-half stoppage time.
With Plzen committing numbers forward in search of a late equaliser, United had several opportunities to put the result beyond doubt via counter-attacks.
One of those fast breaks forward included Diallo having the chance to square the ball from the right into the path of Hojlund, who had squeezed in front of his marker.
Had Diallo done so, Hojlund would have been in a strong position to score his third of the evening.
Hojlund’s frustration at Diallo for not playing the ball and giving him a chance to record a hat-trick was evident, as the two had words after the final whistle.
Some fans easily could have viewed the incident as a sign of disharmony among the players.
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim refused to rule out further tweaks to his team and it could impact Marcus Rashford.
Rashford started as the lone striker for the Red Devils in Amorim’s first game in charge and got on the scoresheet in a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town last Sunday.
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Rashford snapped a seven-game goal drought against IpswichCredit: AP
The 27-year-old’s goal was his fifth of the season across all competitions and ended a run of seven consecutive Premier League fixtures without scoring.
Amorim’s choice to place Rashford up top deviated from how his predecessor Erik ten Hag used him, which was on the left wing in a front three.
Although Rashford scored during a rare berth up front in Amorim’s favoured 3-4-2-1 formation, the Portuguese boss revealed it isn’t the long-term plan.
Amorim is also determined to get Rashford back to the blistering form he enjoyed during the 2022/23 campaign when he netted 17 times in 35 league appearances, but insisted it will only happen if the English star heeds a two-word demand.
Read more Man United news
“I will try to help him,” Amorim said.
“That position is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that. We have to kick with high pressure, we have to kick the ball so many times and it was like fighting with two giants.
“We’ll try to find the right solution for him, as for the other players. But he has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment and then he will have all the help of the staff, the club and the fans because he’s a Manchester United boy.
“But he has to be the first one to want it.”
Amorim also hinted Rashford is likely to be dropped from the starting line-up for United’s Europa League clash against Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt on Thursday.
However, Rashford’s axing would not be performance-related as Amorim seeks to speed up the acclimatisation process for all of his stars.
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Amorim has confirmed he will make several changes to his starting team against Bodo/GlimtCredit: PA
“We have to do it (rotate), especially in this moment because we have a lot of games, and we are in the beginning of something,” Amorim said.
“They have to feel that they are part of the team, so they are international players, they will rotate.
“We will try to manage to try and win every game and not just focus on this game, have a clear idea of how to play and everybody has to be on the same page.”
Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund looms as the next option to start up top for the Red Devils as he was the man who replaced Rashford in the 68th minute against Ipswich.
Hojlund, who joined in July last year for an initial £64million from Atalanta, had a disrupted start to the season as he worked his way back from a hamstring injury.
The 21-year-old has since scored just twice in 13 appearances for United across all competitions this term and will be desperate to impress if chosen to lead the line against Bodo.
Manchester United’s strikers compared in 24/25
Marcus Rashford: Five goals, three assists from 19 appearances
Rasmus Hojlund: Two goals, zero assists from 13 appearances
Joshua Zirkzee: One goal, two assists from 18 appearances
Polarising summer recruit Joshua Zirkzee is another who could fill the central striker role in Amorim’s formation.
After netting the winner in his Red Devils debut against Fulham, Zirkzee has failed to score in the following 17 games for United.
It leaves Amorim with a serious conundrum as he looks to ignite his misfiring striking unit.
United’s clash against Bodo at Old Trafford kicks off at 7pm as Amorim’s side look to make it six games unbeaten across the board.
It is the dawn of the latest new era at Manchester United with Ruben Amorim touching down in the UK this week to start work as the club’s first ever head coach.
Fresh from finishing a lowly eighth last season, Erik ten Hag paid the price for the club’s worst ever start to a Premier League campaign with his job, so how can Amorim succeed where everyone else post Sir Alex Ferguson has failed?
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Amorim has arrived in Manchester and has a big job ahead of himCredit: Getty
talkSPORT takes a look at Amorim’s in-tray as he sets about the enormous task of restoring the Red Devils to their former glories.
IMPLEMENT A DEFINED PLAYING STYLE
Even in the aftermath of May’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City – undoubtedly United’s greatest day of the post-Fergie era – the questions marks over Ten Hag’s philosophy (or lack of) remained.
The truth is that white knuckle cup ride, which included a barely believable extra-time win over arch-rivals Liverpool and almost being knocked out in the semis by Coventry despite leading 3-0 with 19 minutes of normal time to go, summed up United’s inability to dominate games the way they had in their illustrious past.
Read more Man United news
Even in the final itself, which many labelled a tactical masterclass, United had a little over 25 per cent possession against the team Ferguson famously branded ‘the noisy neighbours’.
As so often under Ten Hag, who was recruited partly because of the possession-based game he was able to deploy so successfully at Ajax, the Red Devils relied on moments of individual brilliance and hitting City on the counter attack as a route to glory.
Ten Hag tried to change that this summer and the early signs were good as United enjoyed greater control and played fewer direct passes, opting instead to build from the back, in their penalty shoot-out defeat against City back at Wembley.
But after losing at Brighton in their second league game, any sign of an identity quickly went out of the window again, with huge gaps appearing in midfield and the opposition allowed to dictate the flow of matches.
Like Ten Hag, Amorim arrives with a defined high-energy playing style, and part of the reason Liverpool opted against pursuing their interest in him was because they didn’t feel his 3-4-3 formation would suit their squad. Unlike Ten Hag, the 39-year-old has to be brave enough to stick with his principles.
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How Man United could line up under Ruben Amorim
CUT THE DEADWOOD
The fact there are players on the United books who have survived three or four managers should be a massive red flag to Amorim.
While offloading under-performing big earners like Marcus Rashford will be very difficult, a much-needed summer clear-out will be helped by the fact that Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Christian Eriksen and Jonny Evans are all out of contract at the end of the season and should all be let go.
Casemiro has enjoyed an upturn in performance level under caretaker-manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, but is hard to envisage the veteran Brazilian being able to meet the rigorous physical demands that Amorim places on his charges.
Luke Shaw conveniently returned to training soon after ten Hag had departed, but cannot be relied upon to stay fit so is another that should be moved on, while there are already big question marks from within the corridors of Carrington over £36.5million summer recruit Joshua Zirkzee being cut out for the Premier League.
Rashford is a fascinating case study; a player who initially excelled under Ten Hag and enjoyed the best scoring season of his career before the relationship deteriorated to such an extent that sources say the pair were barely on speaking terms by the end.
England outcast Rashford is said to be enthused by the prospect of working with Amorim, but recent performances suggest he is a very long way from being back to his best and if that doesn’t change quickly then United may have a brutal decision to make with their academy poster boy.
When fully fit Mason Mount looks perfectly suited to playing alongside Bruno Fernandes as one of the two number 10s behind a lone number 9, but he really needs a run of games between now and the end of the season to salvage what has so far been a disastrous move from Chelsea.
talkSPORT has already revealed that the £80m Antony has been told his future is elsewhere and he could depart as early as January, albeit a loan move back to the Dutch league or his native Brazil looks the most likely scenario.
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Rashford has struggled for form since the beginning of last season
TURN RASMUS HOJLUND INTO GYOKERES ‘2.0’
There is no better illustration of how far United’s star has fallen than the fact that even after Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leicester they have still scored only TWELVE goals in ELEVEN Premier League games. That’s the same number as Erling Haaland alone and fewer than Wolves and Leicester.
However, it is not like this is a team who struggle to create chances. In fact they have spurned more big opportunities than any of the other 19 clubs.
In contrast Amorim’s Sporting team plundered 39 goals in their first 11 league games – all wins – and hit four past Manchester City in the Champions League. He also turned Viktor Gyokeres – deemed surplus to requirements by Brighton – into one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers with clubs including Chelsea and Arsenal keen to bring him back to England next summer.
The United hierarchy will hope he can have the same impact on Rasmus Hojlund, who has netted just twice in his 12 appearances this season.
With United another potential suitor for Gyokeres, although their recruitment will be led by sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox and not Amorim himself, the pressure is on Hojlund to start finding the net on a consistent basis.
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Since the start of the 23/24 season, Gyokeres and Hojlund have vastly different goal and assist hauls
TARGET THE EUROPA LEAGUE
There may only be four points separating 13th placed United and Chelsea in third but the quality level in the top half of the table has arguably never been so high.
It is almost impossible to see a scenario where leaders Liverpool and champions City, even taking their current wobble into account, don’t finish in the top four so the battle for the two, maybe three depending on the success of English teams in Europe, other Champions League places is going to be fierce.
While improving last season’s worst ever Premier League finish is one of the main priorities with so many games still to play, winning the Europa League may offer an easier route to a seat back at Europe’s top table.
After ending a year-long wait for a European win by beating Greek minnows PAOK 2-0 last week, United have a very winnable set of games coming up at the start of Amorim’s tenure and should easily finish in the top eight to go straight into the last 16.
The new UEFA format also means they do not have to contend with teams dropping down from the Champions League so it is no surprise that United and Tottenham, flaky away from home, are the top two favourites to lift the trophy.
Amorim led Sporting to the quarter finals in 2023, knocking out Arsenal in the round of 16 so knows his way around the competition United last won under his mentor Jose Mourinho seven years ago.
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A Europa League title this season would make it three consecutive campaigns in which United have won a trophy
Dwight Yorke believes that Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are good players, but won’t take Manchester United to the next level.
Man United have had a slow start to the season, with their 1-0 win over Fulham followed by back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Liverpool.
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Zirkzee got off the mark on his debutCredit: Getty
With Hojlund sidelined with injury, substitute Zirkzee bagged Man United’s winning goal against the Cottagers in his first appearance for the club since he signed from Bologna for £35.8million.
He then accidentally got his side’s goal against Brighton ruled out after kneeing Alejandro Garnacho’s shot into the net whilst offside.
Former United striker Yorke thinks Zirkzee’s start to life at Old Trafford has been encouraging – but he’s warned he and Hojlund may not be the strikers to fire the Red Devils back to glory.
When asked what advice he would give Zirkzee, Yorke told talkSPORT’s Inside Devils show: “I think it’s encouraging that he’s got an opportunity to score. I think if he did go to a game and not have the opportunities that would be even more devastating for the lad.
“So it’s encouraging, he’s got his first goal and he had a couple of chances against Liverpool. But he’s a striker, and every striker out there that’s played at the top level, it’s all about the opportunities.
“If you don’t get those opportunities you’re not going to score. But if you keep getting opportunities and you keep putting yourself in there, then you’re likely to get one in the net at some point.
“But I would say that’s a positive and that’s encouraging.
“I’m still not sure, I would say with United attacking, with strikers at the moment, I think that right now where United is at, they’re buying players to finish fourth.
“What I mean by that is that, the players they’re bringing in are good players, they’re not bad. But they’re not the elite players that United normally are associated with. So you will get that type of performance that we need to get back in the top four.”
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Yorke (left) knew how to find the goal with UnitedCredit: Getty
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Here’s how Zirkzee has got on in his first three games
Man United finished eighth in the Premier League last season, only qualifying for Europe thanks to their FA Cup triumph.
The last time they finished in the top four was in the 2022/23 season, which saw them finish third.
However, the last time Man United had a striker or any player win the Premier League golden boot was in 2012/13, with Robin van Persie bagging 26 league goals.
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk appears to completely ignore Netherlands teammate and Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee
That was also the last time United won the title.
Yorke continued: “You look at Zirkzee, he comes in, he’s not a starter in Holland. Rasmus is a starter, the Euros wasn’t particularly great for him, so it shows the kind of work that they had to do.
“On top of all of that, you’re playing in a team that’s not high on confidence, that makes it even more difficult. It’s ok when you’re coming in to a team that controls possession, dominates teams, making chances, then you fit right in.
“At the moment, United are not doing that. They’re really struggling. So even though these players are great players in their own right, they’re not going to take the team to that other level that we’re all hoping United will be.
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Hojlund netted 10 times in 30 appearances in his debut season last termCredit: Getty
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But York wonders if he and Zirkzee can fire them back to winning titlesCredit: GETTY
“For me, it’s a little bit concerning, and will take us a little bit longer to get where we want. It’s going to be a bit of a struggle, simply because the team is not consistent in their play, the identity we mentioned that we’re still a little bit unsure about.
“That doubt is still lingering in the background and if you’re not playing particularly well and you’re not taking your chances, it’s going to be a difficult season ahead.”
Yorke played for Man United between 1998 and 2002 and won the treble under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999.
He bagged 66 goals and made 32 assists in 152 appearances.
Man United face Southampton at St Mary’s this Saturday, exclusively live on talkSPORT.
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