Ruben Amorim has made it clear that Manchester United’s current fixture congestion is pushing the squad to its limits, with Sunday’s bruising 4-1 defeat to Newcastle underlining the cracks.
As the Red Devils prepare to face Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final first leg on Thursday, there’s growing concern over the number of first-team players showing signs of fatigue and strain.
Lisandro Martínez is still out, Luke Shaw has only come back from injury, and now United’s thin squad depth is being tested once again.
The mood around Carrington has been tense this week, with staff working overtime to recover players ahead of a huge European night under the lights at Old Trafford.
Amorim is expected to rotate heavily in training, but Thursday’s lineup already looks disrupted by a major injury blow.
Joshua Zirkzee has been ruled out of the Lyon clash after being forced off in the 55th minute against Newcastle with a hamstring injury.
The Dutch forward, who has grown into a key figure for Amorim’s side, will miss the first leg, and potentially more, as United’s attacking options shrink at a crucial point in the season.
Amorim confirmed the bad news, stating, “Josh, I think he will be out for some games.
“So, let’s focus on the next one.”
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The 22-year-old nearly opened the scoring early against Newcastle with a smart one-two involving Bruno Fernandes, but was denied by Nick Pope.
It was a frustrating end to what had looked like another promising performance from Joshua Zirkzee, who has been impressing fans with his intelligent movement, hold-up play, and sharp decision-making in the final third.
United equalised through Alejandro Garnacho, but the joy was short-lived as Newcastle tore through a disjointed backline in the second half.
Without Zirkzee, Amorim may be forced to call on either Rasmus Hojlund—who is still working back to full sharpness—or consider a tactical tweak to bolster midfield control.
Zirkzee’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for United, who now face a must-win European clash without one of their most in-form players.
The spotlight will be on Amorim to see how he navigates this crisis and keeps the club’s Europa League hopes alive.
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