Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim doesn’t expect Joshua Zirkzee to be fit to face Lyon on Thursday after suffering an injury in defeat to Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.
The Dutch forward went down 55 minutes into the 4-1 loss at St James’ Park and it was immediately clear that he was in trouble.
The 23-year-old was clutching his hamstring, the physio dashed on, however it was obvious he would must be replaced as Rasmus Hojlund immediately stripped and ready to come back on.
The severity of the injury is yet to be learned, but the probabilities that Zirkzee might be fit to face Lyon on Thursday appear very slim.
Asked of the situation after the sport, Amorim said: ‘Zirkzee vs. Lyon? I feel it’s over.’
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It’s one other blow for Amorim and Manchester United after the striker scored their second goal within the 2-2 attract France in the primary leg.
Rasmus Hojlund didn’t start against Newcastle and can likely be recalled to steer the road within the second meeting with Lyon.
It was one other bad day trip for Amorim and his Red Devils side as they were comfortably beaten by their hosts.
Sandro Tonali impressively gave them the lead in the primary half before the visitors levelled up through Alejandro Garnacho to finish the opening period 1-1.
That was encouraging for the Red Devils but they fell away badly within the second stanza, with Newcastle dominating.
Harvey Barnes scored twice before captain Bruno Guimaraes made it 4 due to a blunder from goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
The most recent defeat saw Manchester United slip below Everton on goal difference into 14th, while Newcastle climb to fourth.
Amorim was frustrated together with his side after the defeat, bemoaning the mistakes they made and reminded them that they need to a lot better within the crucial meeting with Lyon at Old Trafford on Thursday after the primary leg finished 2-2 in France.
‘Many mistakes they usually were stronger within the second balls. They were the higher team,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘We did a variety of mistakes that makes it harder to win a game.
‘It’s slightly little bit of all the things, it’s hard to point at one thing that goes fallacious in these moments. It’s really hard to win against top teams like Newcastle. Let’s give attention to Thursday, it’s really necessary for us. All of the mistakes we did today we cannot do on Thursday.’
On criticism that he and his team will face after one other defeat, he said: ‘I understand it, I don’t care. Nothing is worse than losing games. People can say whatever they wish to say.’
Captain Bruno Fernandes told Sky Sports: ‘My teammates, I only get frustrated with them because I understand how good they may be. I understand how tough it’s to represent this club. They need a lot to offer to the club, to win because they understand how much they might be remembered in the event that they win something with this club.
‘On Thursday we go forward, we create an enormous atmosphere in our stadium, we must be on the front foot and provides all the things we have now because we would like to get to the semi-final.
‘In tough moments we have now done great performances against the most important clubs. In decisive games when everyone seems to be watching. We’re Man United, we have now to step up and do all the things to win the sport.’
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