Ruben Amorim’s team selection decisions against Crystal Palace paid off for Man Utd at Selhurst Park.
Ruben Amorim praised Joshua Zirkzee and Diogo Dalot following Manchester United’s 2-1 comeback victory against Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Zirkzee brought United level at the start of the second half with a well-taken half-volley. Then Mason Mount fired United into the lead, finding the bottom corner from a set-piece routine.
Amorim stuck by Zirkzee after a disappointing performance against Everton, and he made the decision to recall Dalot to the starting team after moving him to the bench on Monday night. Both Zirkzee and Dalot were praised during Amorim’s post-match press conference.
“It was really important,” said Amorim of Zirkzee’s goal. “But again, it was not just the goal, even the runs behind. In the first half he struggled on the duels and he won some duels in the second half. We improved a lot because of the quality of Josh in the second half. That is important for him to understand. That is not just the goal. We play better because Josh played better in the second half.”
Bryan Mbeumo drifted closer to Zirkzee in the second half. “I didn’t say ‘go near Josh’,” Amorim said. “I just said to the players we need to be more alive and you can feel that. So if you are more alive, you are in more places, you are near the ball more often. I think everyone did that.
“But we also need to understand that the opponent was tired also in the second half. And when you increase the rhythm and the opponent gets tired a little bit, suffers right away a goal, you felt that we had the control of the game and that’s it.”
Amorim was critical of his options at left wing-back at his pre-match press conference on Friday, and admitted he was pleased with the response from Dalot at Selhurst Park. When asked whether Dalot’s display was the benchmark for a player in that role, Amorim said: “It’s of course defending and attacking. If you have certain characteristics, the pace, you can go right or left because you also can play with your left.
“You need to use that in every single game in the Premier League and not just one game and then we drop a little bit the level. But it’s the same thing that I said with Patrick.
“I know they have a lot of quality. They just need to be relaxed sometimes and show that and show the intensity and the pace that they have.”
