Man United return to Premier League action on Monday when they host Everton at Old Trafford and all eyes will be on his team selection.
Amorim and Zirkzee
Amorim and Zirkzee
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Manchester United are heading towards a crucial period of the season following the final international break of 2025. The festive period is often when the table starts to take shape and while the top end is congested now, it probably won't be once the festive fixtures have been played.
United will hope by January they are still in the mix for the European qualification spots as a bare minimum. However, the target will be a spot in the Champions League next season and with no other distractions before January, it is a good time for the Reds to push on.
What we also expect to find out by January is the future of Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is understood to be preparing to request an exit from Old Trafford this winter and you can't blame him. After featuring for just 90 minutes over five matches, his hopes of a World Cup place are slipping away.
But before Zirkzee's time at United is ended, there's a chance that he could work his way back into the plans. Benjamin Sesko will miss the clash with Everton on Monday night and that leaves Ruben Amorim with a problem.
Barring the opening three matches of the season when Sesko was getting up to speed and in tough away games at Liverpool and Tottenham, Amorim has chosen the Slovenian to lead the line. The strikerless system was used as a necessity at the start of the season but has been used sparingly since.
Against a team like Everton, United would ordinarily choose to go with Sesko. The strikerless system tends to have been used against teams where the Reds are expected to not have it all their own way having struggle when Sesko started at Manchester City.
Therefore, if Amorim were to overlook Zirkzee and choose Mason Mount or keep Amad as the No.10, it seems pretty nailed on the Dutchman's future has been decided. Whether United allow him to leave in the January transfer window depends entirely on the boss.
When he was asked in October about Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo leaving, he said: "I understand that but they are our players and we need everyone to have a good season. I also know that in our club everything is a lot of noise.
"Players are not playing. They want to play, and there's a World Cup. There are agents that listen to the players, talking all the time." If Amorim thinks Zirkzee leaving in the middle of the season will compromise his team's chances of progressing this campaign then the striker will not go.
But if Zirkzee is overlooked on Monday while Sesko is out injured it will be the biggest sign yet that Amorim's mind is made up on the Dutchman and his United career will be unlikely to extend beyond next summer.