Ian Wright was left ‘surprised’ that Ruben Amorim omitted Amad Diallo and Marcus Rashford from his starting XI to face Arsenal on Wednesday.
Diallo and Rashford were named on the bench for the Premier League clash at the Emirates as Arsenal recorded a 2-0 win over Manchester United.
Both players had been in fine form heading into the north London showdown, with Diallo registering three assists across Amorim’s first two top-flight games in charge of the club against Ipswich Town and Everton.
Rashford, meanwhile, who scored in the draw at Ipswich and then conjured up two goals in the 4-0 victory over Everton, said ahead of the Arsenal game that he felt ‘energised’ and ‘ready’ to take on the Gunners.
When the Red Devils XI to face Arsenal was announced, Arsenal legend and football pundit Wright was shocked to see neither player in the line-up.
‘With the way Amad Diallo has played, I’m surprised he (Ruben Amorim) didn’t leave him in [the XI],’ Wright said on The Overlap watchalong.
‘With Rashford as well, he normally does pretty well against us. I was very surprised he’s not starting [either]. Just with his pace.’
Tyrell Malacia was named in the United XI – his first top-flight appearance in 556 days – and first league outing since May 2023 against Fulham.
‘It’s a big ask for him to play against Bukayo Saka,’ United legend and football pundit Gary Neville said about Malacia’s inclusion.
Roy Keane, meanwhile, added: ‘Big gamble. But do you know what, the manager is getting a good look at him. Sometimes you just throw them in.
‘It’s not ideal (his lack of fitness) but the manager has come in and said the best way to take a look at these lads are in these important, big games. He’s brought Mount in [too].’
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Clinton Morrison, watching the match for Sky Sports, slammed Amorim’s lineup and accused him of managing the club like it was a video game.
‘He must think he’s playing a computer game,’ Morrison said when he saw the United XI. ‘It’s ridiculous. It’s like every player is on trial at the moment.
‘Rashford scored two goals, everyone’s talking about his form. Go and play him against Arsenal. You’re not going to have the ball a lot, you’re going to play on the counter-attack and he’s got the pace to cause problems.
‘I’m not going to criticise him as a manger but, for me, the team he is playing tonight is a defensive team. He is saying he’s worried about Arsenal, and he should be, but how are they going to get up the pitch? I would put Rashford in the team.’
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