Ruben Amorim breaks silence on brutal Joshua Zirkzee substitution which left Man Utd star with ‘tears in his eyes’

United endured their sixth defeat in a single calendar month, equaling a club record, as Newcastle secured a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford. The Magpies dominated much of the match and took a two-goal lead within 20 minutes through Alexander Isak and Joelinton.

In an effort to limit further damage, manager Ruben Amorim substituted Joshua Zirkzee, who had been playing on the left wing. The former Bayern Munich player was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo, and his substitution was met with sarcastic cheers from the home crowd, a reaction that drew criticism from former United captain Gary Neville during commentary.

Zirkzee, visibly upset, put on his jacket and left for the tunnel after the incident but later returned to the bench. A Sky Germany reporter inside the tunnel described Zirkzee as having “tears in his eyes” following the humiliating experience.

Amorim addressed the difficult decision in his post-match interview, expressing sympathy for Zirkzee while commending the player’s character. “You have to think about the team and also the player because the player is suffering,” he said, adding, “I’ve been there. I felt the team was suffering and needed another midfielder. It was really tough on me to do that, and I spoke with Josh because it is really important to express the message. He is a good guy, and we will support him and continue.”

Neville, meanwhile, criticized the crowd’s reaction, stating, “I actually feel sorry for Joshua Zirkzee. I know he’s earning a lot of money, but there’s a human being in there that’s basically being cheered off by his own fans. That is brutal. I’ve not seen that too many times at Old Trafford in the 43 years I’ve been coming here.” He acknowledged Zirkzee’s poor performance but emphasized that the entire team had been subpar.

Zirkzee, who signed a five-year contract in the summer, has been linked with a potential departure after managing just four goals in 25 appearances across all competitions.