Ruben Amorim has sounded the alarm on the fitness woes plaguing his Manchester United squad, revealing after a nail-biter against Bodo/Glimt that Rasmus Hojlund was spent.
The new boss at Old Trafford is hell-bent on getting the Red Devils into peak condition following Erik ten Hag's exit. Despite snagging a 3-2 win on Thursday night and keeping their Europa League dreams alive, the match flagged up that Amorim's got his work cut out.
The Red Devils boss opened up post-match, admitting to TNT Sports: "We had more chances [than against Ipswich] and were more dangerous. But we will have to change players," and conceded, "I felt that Rasmus was dead. Some [players] were really, really tired.
READ MORE: Rasmus Hojlund shows true colours with Ruben Amorim admission after Glimt win
READ MORE: Man Utd fans beg Hojlund 'does a Gyokeres' under Ruben Amorim after wondergoal
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"We made four substitutions because of the fitness of the players, not because of what was best for the game. We are in that moment. We need the squad all together and fit."
Old Trafford witnessed a rollercoaster as United lagged behind for a tense 22 minutes before blazing back with two goals from Hojlund. Amorim spotted improvements over their last outing yet spotlighted how fitness could make or break his demanding setup, reports the Express.
Rasmus Hojlund
Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund put in a big shift against Bodo/Glimt (Image: (Image: Getty))
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Hojlund's brace managed to rescue United after they were picked apart in the first half, conceding to Hakon Evjen and Philip Zinckernagel after Alejandro Garnacho's rapid opener.
Although Hojlund struck back just before half-time, it wasn't until Amorim shuffled the pack, calling Diogo Dalot in to replace Tyrell Malacia, that the Reds truly found their stride.
Ruben Amorim's tenure might just be kicking off, but he's already feeling the heat as he gears up for a showdown against Everton this Sunday, followed by a nail-biting trek to Arsenal territory next week.
Rasmus Hojlund
Rasmus Hojlund netted a brace on Thursday evening (Image: TNT SPORTS)
The Portuguese boss openly confessed his jangled nerves: "I get anxious because I don't know what will happen. You don't control anything at the moment. We are trying to see different things. Of course, we have an idea for each game, but I don't know the players very well.
"We go to the game excited because we want to see different things, but at the same time you are a little bit anxious and nervous because you don't know how the game will go."