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Manchester United are in Premier League action on Sunday afternoon
Manchester United are back in action on Sunday afternoon against Arsenal. The Red Devils head into the game sat down in 15th place in the table.
They drew 1-1 away at Real Sociedad in the Europa League in their last outing. Striker Joshua Zirkzee got their goal in Spain.
United will be hoping that that result can build their confidence and inspire them to hit some form in the league. The Gunners are positioned in 2nd place in the league behind Liverpool as they look set to miss out on the title once again under Mikel Arteta.
Roy Keane reacts to Rasmus Højlund decision
Rasmus Hojlund has not scored in his last 19 matches for Manchester UnitedRasmus Hojlund has not scored in his last 19 matches for Manchester United
Rasmus Hojlund has not scored in his last 19 matches for Manchester United | Getty Images
United have decided to drop Rasmus Højlund to the bench against Arsenal. Ruben Amorim has opted to give the player a rest in the hope the change can reap dividends.
Speaking on Sky Sports, former Red Devils man Roy Keane has said: “It’s a difficult question to answer. He’s (Amorim) has got to try and look after his players. If your striker is struggling to score goals and your team are struggling in general then you have to make a change. You have to mix it up.
“He’s not really been getting many chances, his confidence must be low, the whole team must be low. Stating the obvious, you have got to take him out. Maybe let him sit on the bench and let him recharge the batteries physically and mentally.”
Højlund, 22, has been struggling for goals recently. He has made 22 appearances in the league so far this season but has only found the net twice.
The Denmark international joined United back in 2023 after catching the eye at Atalanta in Serie A. He scored 16 goals during his first year but hasn’t been able to match the same levels in this campaign.
Højlund is still young though and can still play a big role in the future. He is under a long-term contract and everyone associated with the club will hope he can start firing again.
Zirkzee has been enjoying a run in the team over recent times. The forward initially found it hard to adapt to life in England following his switch last summer from Bologna but he has started to find his feet now.
Ruben Amorim’s comments pre-Arsenal
A general view of a Manchester United corner flag on the pitch ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Manchester United and Rangers FC at Old Trafford on January 23, 2025 in Manchester, England.A general view of a Manchester United corner flag on the pitch ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Manchester United and Rangers FC at Old Trafford on January 23, 2025 in Manchester, England.
A general view of a Manchester United corner flag on the pitch ahead of the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Manchester United and Rangers FC at Old Trafford on January 23, 2025 in Manchester, England. | Getty Images
Speaking ahead of United’s clash against Arsenal, Amorim has said: “In the Premier League, every game is really important. In our moment, we need to win. It’s always a problem when we don’t win so we have to focus on everything at the same time. I think the biggest problem is to not have all of the players because, in the beginning, people talk about our rotation - especially in Europe, we are changing all the time. It’s because of this because it’s really hard and the Europa League is so much harder, in my opinion, than the Champions League. Not the games but the recovery to play Premier League on the weekend, so we have to deal with that.”
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