Ruben Amorim explains shock Manchester United penalty decision and drops striker hint | OneFootball

Order of the Red Devils’ penalty takers raised eyebrows after Fulham shootout defeat in FA Cup

Ruben Amorim has left the door open to a potential Manchester United striker change and also explained why Victor Lindelof took a crucial penalty in Sunday’s agonising FA Cup defeat by Fulham.

The holders exited the competition at the fifth round stage after Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee saw back-to-back spot-kicks saved by Bernd Leno, with a shootout forced after Bruno Fernandes’ excellent late finish in normal time cancelled out Calvin Bassey’s header in a hard-fought 1-1 draw and neither side could find an extra-time winner despite each fashioning plenty of chances.

Captain Fernandes, Diogo Dalot and Casemiro had already scored for United by the time that Lindelof and then Zirkzee stepped up, while Andre Onana was unable to save any Fulham efforts from Raul Jimenez, Sander Berge, Willian and Antonee Robinson.

Sunday’s loss also intensified a growing striker selection dilemma for Amorim as regular starter Rasmus Hojlund made it 18 consecutive games across all competitions without scoring, blazing well wide of the front post early in the first half against Fulham after stealing a march on marker Bassey to connect with a low left-wing Christian Eriksen cross.

The under-fire Hojlund - who has netted only seven times in 35 appearances across all competitions so far this season and none since December - was otherwise anonymous throughout the game before being replaced with just over 20 minutes of normal time remaining by teenage sensation Chido Obi, who was handed his third senior cameo off the bench and outshone his fellow Dane by creating a number of chances including a golden opportunity in extra time that was saved brilliantly by Leno.

Asked if he could now make a change up front ahead of the crucial two-legged Europa League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad and a visit from Arsenal in the Premier League, Amorim said: “Anything can happen in the next games. During training, we don't have a lot of time to train, but we need to see the opposition, feel the moment of the player physically in this moment with a lot of games.

“Because we are going to start playing Thursday/Sunday, anything can happen. But I will focus on just the next game, you know, try and in that way, like I'm going to change the striker. No, I will choose the best players to win the next match.”

Pressed on if he was confident that there are enough goals in his United squad, the Portuguese added: “No, we have a problem with goals. Today, we create situations, but even in the last game [against Ipswich], sometimes you felt that just in set-pieces, we are going to make some danger.

“So, I think the first step is to create situations. Today, we create, but we have to improve that to help our forwards and strikers to score.”

When asked whether it was worrying that forward Alejandro Garnacho has not scored since November, Amorim said: “No, I think you can feel it that he has like a little bit that knock in the knee. He’s good in transitions. We need that in the team sometimes. He’s creating and trying to go one against one.

“He’s also a thing that we lack in this squad. So, I think he’s training well. I think he did well today. So he has to be ready for the next match.”