Gary Neville has cast doubt on whether Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim truly believes in his strikers after the duo of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were left out of the starting XI against Crystal Palace.
Instead, Amorim opted for midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as a makeshift forward—a decision that backfired in United’s 2-0 defeat.
Hojlund, signed for £72 million from Atalanta, has struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, netting just two goals this season. Zirkzee, who arrived from Bologna for £36.5 million, has also failed to impress.
Their exclusion in favor of an experimental system led Neville to question whether Amorim sees either of them as long-term solutions.
“Maybe he’s just trying to find a system he likes, or maybe he doesn’t like the strikers he has,” Neville speculated on his Sky Sports podcast.
He criticized the decision to start Mainoo up front, noting that Crystal Palace likely saw United’s lineup as an opportunity. “There’s no real goalscorer in that team. Even if Hojlund isn’t in great form, at least he’s a physical presence,” Neville argued.
United’s form under Amorim has worsened since he replaced Erik ten Hag in November, leaving them languishing in mid-table. Neville believes the mounting losses could make it difficult for players to buy into Amorim’s tactics.
With Zirkzee linked to a January exit and the club reportedly considering offloading Hojlund in the summer, it remains to be seen whether Amorim will persist with his current strikers or push for new signings.
Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford’s future remains in doubt, with the England forward completing a loan move to Aston Villa after being frozen out of the squad.
As United struggle for attacking solutions, Amorim faces mounting pressure to turn things around before the season slips further away.