It is a raw deal to inherit two ostensible goalscorers (one is not actually a goalscorer) who struggle to score goals. Never mind that they cost an obscene £108.5million.
Ruben Amorim has been dealt an unwinnable hand with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. That has also been compounded by his bosses halving the United attack since the summer and not securing a replacement in the winter.
It was risky business to let Antony and Marcus Rashford leave on loan without an incoming. There was no reward for that risk as Amad injured his ankle the next week and he was ruled out for the season.
And then there were three: Hojlund, Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho. The latter has scored more goals than the former two yet he has been in and out of the side. Garnacho was contentiously substituted against Ipswich Town in response to Patrick Dorgu's red card.
Garnacho's ball-striking close to goal has regressed and he is without a Premier League goal since November. He is still more of a goal threat than Hojlund (seven goals this season) and Zirkzee (five).
Amorim insisted it would have been a risk to start Garnacho against Fulham. It was a greater risk to bench him. United conceded first for the 22nd time out of 42 games this season and Garnacho was summoned seven minutes into the second half with United 1-0 down.
The 3-4-3 system Amorim is wedded to could be fluid and attack-minded. For more than three months, it has been rigid and defence-minded. Six of the ten outfield starters against Fulham were defensive players - three centre backs, two full backs and a defensive midfielder. The starting XI had contributed 33 goals this season at kick-off.
Amorim has done that before. Away at FCSB, the balance was awry in the first half, so
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