Man Utd: Hargreaves slams Amorim decision as ‘five changes’ demanded; trio ‘do not work’ in PL
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has been blasted for not starting Kobbie Mainoo vs Manchester City, while Owen Hargreaves wants “five changes”.
Man Utd were comfortably beaten by Man City at the Etihad on Sunday as Phil Foden’s header and Erling Haaland’s brace sealed a 3-0 victory.
The Red Devils were dominated all over the pitch by a superior Man City side, as there is yet to be evidence that Amorim‘s preferred 3-4-3 system can work.
Mainoo has been a victim of Amorim’s insistence on his system, with it clear that the head coach is not a huge fan of the centre-midfielder.
The England international started Sunday’s match on the bench, but he came on for the final stretch and was arguably Man Utd’s best player.
READ: 16 Conclusions from Man City 3-0 Man Utd: Haaland, Foden, Doku joy, but more grim United misery
Hargreaves thinks Mainoo “has got to play” as the pundit has called for “five changes” at Man Utd.
“Where do you want to start? There are a lot of issues,” Hargreaves told Premier League Productions.
“How Kobbie Mainoo doesn’t play in this team I’ll never know.
“He came on for that game and in half hour he was probably their best player, by a country mile. So first of all he’s got to play.
“Sesko is not ready. He scored a lot of goals in Germany but he didn’t look ready today. You look at Haaland, the way he ran about and pressed, he just wasn’t active enough, I know he didn’t get much service but he’s got to be more active.
“Mbeumo is top, Cunha is top. Bruno can’t play there as a central defensive midfielder any more, he’s got to play as a No.10.
“The way it’s set up now it’s not working, so tweak it. You could make five changes, play Mbeumo up front, Cunha and Bruno as No.10s, Kobbie has got to get into the team, fact. You give yourself half a chance, I don’t see it.
“They had more possession than City today but they didn’t look the better team. Did they look like scoring much? No.”
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Premier League winner Danny Simpson has also hit out at Amorim over Mainoo, while he’s argued that three Man Utd stars “do not work in the Premier League”.
“The ball goes to [Patrick] Dorgu on the left. City let him have it [because they know] he’s not going to hurt you,” Simpson told Stadium Astro.
“He’ll try and run up and down all day, but we’ve got nothing down the flanks. When Amad [Diallo] plays as a wingback he’s going to get it, he’s going to do something.
“But when you’ve got Dorgu or [Noussair] Mazraoui or [Diogo] Dalot, I just don’t think that can work in the Premier League.
“And trying to create chances… I felt sorry for [Benjamin] Sesko today. He’s trying but there’s nothing he can do.”
On Mainoo, Simpson added: “Crazy [Mainoo didn’t start]. When he comes on there’s a bit of energy.
“He was trying, getting on the ball, forward runs, that’s what we’re missing. A couple of time he was trying to make a run to disrupt City’s defence.
“He knows what this means and there’s too many players out there that look like they don’t really care. Flimsy. Didn’t look like they wanted it enough.”
