“As a professional coach I think it’s totally wrong”: Pep Guardiola slammed Ruben Amorim for substituting ONE particular player during Nottingham Forest game
Manchester United fans have slammed Ruben Amorim’s decision to take captain Bruno Fernandes off while the team were chasing a goal in their 3-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest.
Amorim suffered the second defeat of his reign as Nuno Espirito Santo’s men claimed their first win at Old Trafford in almost 30 years thanks to goals from Nicola Milenkovic, Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood.
Rasmus Hojlund had initially got United level after Milenkovic’s strike in the opening minute before Bruno pulled one back later in the game to make it 3-2 with a fantastic strike into the corner.
However, fans were left baffled when Amorim withdrew Fernandes for Mount in the 76th minute despite United seeking an equaliser.
One fan wrote: “Taking off Bruno and Ugarte has been a mistake. Mount and Zirkzee have done absolutely nothing,” while another said: “You simply cannot take Bruno Fernandes off when you need to create two goals.”
Other supporters were in agreement as one posted: “We needed a goal and we took off Bruno Fernandes,” as another tweet read: “Don’t think taking Bruno off was the move.”
Amorim later clarified he subbed off his captain due to tiredness and thought the introduction of Mount in the same position would give the team more freshness.
“Bruno [Fernandes] was too tired and I wanted [Mason] Mount to play that position of second midfielder who opens a bit on the left,” he told Sky Sports after the game.
BBC 5Live pundit Izzy Christensen hailed Fernandes after his performance and claimed Amorim was trying to protect him by withdrawing him early.
“Bruno Fernandes has put in an absolute shift, he’s been everywhere,” she said. “Ruben Amorim has seen in his first few games how big Bruno Fernandes is to this system and has to protect him. Amorim needs to give other players the chance to be the hero, it can’t always be Fernandes.”
United will have the chance to bounce back from their defeat when they travel to Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League on Thursday before a huge Manchester Derby clash against fellow underperforming rivals Manchester City.
