Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has publicly explained his team selection decisions for Sunday's Premier League encounter against Crystal Palace, confirming significant changes to his starting lineup.
Training Ground Decisions and Tactical Shifts
Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the match, Amorim revealed that Diogo Dalot and Mason Mount were handed starting berths, replacing Patrick Dorgu and Noussair Mazraoui. The Portuguese boss insisted these changes were driven purely by performances at the Carrington training ground.
"It's the way you train," Amorim stated. "They trained really well, the others too. Then the tactical aspect. Mason Mount is really smart, gives us more possession. He is intense, he can score goals so is one more player to be near the box."
Addressing Player Anxiety and Social Media Tensions
In his pre-match press conference, Amorim provided more context regarding Dorgu's omission, admitting to feeling nervous when the defender was in possession during recent matches. "He needs to be calmer playing the game," Amorim explained. "You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touched the ball — I can feel it, the anxiety."
The manager specifically referenced Dorgu's missed shot against Everton, noting it was "easier than the decision that he had to make when the guys from Scotland were there, when he made a great decision." Amorim acknowledged the pressure of playing for United is "hard for them in the beginning" but affirmed the player has "time to improve."
This explanation comes after Dorgu appeared to ridicule the United manager on social media earlier in November, when the full-back 'liked' an Instagram post questioning Amorim's team selection.
Injury Concerns and League Position
The Red Devils entered the Palace fixture languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, following a particularly frustrating loss to Everton where the Toffees played most of the match with ten men.
United's squad faced additional challenges with three important players sidelined. Benjamin Sesko remains out following an injury sustained in the draw at Tottenham, while Harry Maguire, who was also substituted during the Spurs match, is absent. Matheus Cunha, who sustained an injury in training before the Everton game, is anticipated to return for Thursday's clash with West Ham.
Addressing the potential for victory to lift United into the top six temporarily, Amorim added: "It's so important to win, but the most important thing is to be competitive in every single minute. The table now doesn't matter, we are too far from the end."
