Not Hojlund: 19yo Man Utd star could replace Zirkzee as left no 10 vs Lyon, he recently returned from injury
Manchester United are set for a high-stakes showdown at Old Trafford as they host Lyon in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final today.
Head coach Ruben Amorim confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Joshua Zirkzee will miss the rest of the season.
He sustained a hamstring injury against Newcastle United at the weekend.
Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund are the only other forward alternatives available to Amorim.
The Denmark international is expected to lead the line with Garnacho playing behind him.
We believe Kobbie Mainoo could be thrown into the mix as a left-sided number 10, shifting Bruno Fernandes into a deeper, orchestrating midfield role.
Mainoo last started in the 2-1 FA Cup win over Leicester City early February.
He later suffered an injury in training and had been on the sidelines over the last few weeks.
The 19-year-old made his return last week in the 2-2 draw with Lyon as a late substitute.
Amorim has previously used Mainoo in attacking midfield to unlock his flair and technical sharpness near the opposition’s goal.
He has played three times as an attacking midfielder this season, bagging one goal and one assist.
The Portuguese manager believes Mainoo’s defensive limitations are better masked in advanced roles, where his creativity can thrive without the burden of deep tracking.
Injuries have impacted his involvement this campaign but United will be desperate to have him firing as they head into the season’s final stretch.
Although he might not yet be fit enough to last the full 90 minutes, Amorim will be counting on Mainoo to make his mark before making way.
It is do-or-die clash for United.
A defeat tonight would all but extinguish United’s hopes of salvaging a meaningful end to their season, stripping away their last shot at silverware and relevance.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .