Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has defined his resolution to play defender Harry Maguire as a makeshift ahead within the last moments of the defeat to Nottingham Forest.
United suffered a 1-0 defeat to third-placed Forest on the Metropolis Floor, because of Anthony Elanga’s first-half effort in opposition to his former aspect, however got here near equalising via Maguire with nearly the final kick of the sport.
The substitute climbed off the bench within the 88th minute and poked his effort in the direction of objective, solely to see it cleared off the road by Murillo with seconds to go within the recreation.
“In the long run of the sport, when the opponent is defending the field, they’re snug,” Amorim mentioned in his post-match press convention.
“We are able to attain the ultimate third however we’ve to place the ball into the field, as it’s arduous to make the mixtures. Harry Maguire, when he’s attacking set items, is perhaps the most effective participant within the workforce.
“Contained in the field, you aren’t a defender, you’re a striker. Put one man who is actually good in there to attain the objective.”
United had a complete of 23 photographs on the night, six of them being on course, however had been unable to name Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels into any type of significant motion till he was crushed by Maguire’s effort, solely to be rescued by the well timed boot of team-mate Murillo.
When requested about United’s struggles in entrance of objective, Amorim continued: “That’s clear. We created some possibilities however we might create extra with the possession we had.
“We reached the ultimate third a number of instances however we have to be higher. You will need to rating objectives and we’ve a scarcity of objectives.
Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim appears to be like on after his aspect went behind at Nottingham Forest
“We put Forest within the place they needed to be. They’ve quick gamers in transitions, we pushed ahead however within the last third, we weren’t ok.”
Man Utd strikers flatter to deceive
Sky Sports activities’ Lewis Jones:
Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund stay a sizzling subject of debate for Manchester United after the pair flattered to deceive with their output but once more within the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest.
Zirkzee performed 78 minutes on the Metropolis Floor and did not have a shot, register a contact within the Forest penalty space or create a single likelihood for his team-mates. The sport appeared to move him by as the standard protagonists for United by way of making issues occur in Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho led the cost on that entrance.
Zirkzee is now with no objective within the Premier League since December 1.
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Clinton Morrison says he disagrees with Ruben Amorim’s resolution to put Rasmus Hojlund on the bench in opposition to Nottingham Forest
That is 17 appearances in the past.
Hojlund sprung from the bench on the break and did handle to get no less than one shot away in his cameo however that was pretty much as good because it obtained in one other tame efficiency.
Each Zirkzee and Hojlund simply appear to have points getting on the tip of issues. There is not a lot flawed in the intervening time with United’s build-up however there are such little putting instincts and even what appears to be like a want to go and make a distinction contained in the field from the pair.
That was completely exemplified by Harry Maguire, who was thrust up entrance as an emergency centre-forward on 88 minutes. In that point – eight minutes in complete – Maguire had three photographs, six touches within the opposition field and posted an anticipated objectives determine of 0.59. Amazingly, he accrued extra anticipated objectives in these eight minutes than Hojlund has in his final 15 appearances.
When Maguire is proving extra of a menace in your place in simply eight minutes, it begins to change into embarrassing for the 2 misfiring United centre-forwards.
