Former Manchester United striker, Dimitar Berbatov has expressed serious concerns regarding the performances of the Red Devils duo, Joshua Zirkzee, and Rasmus Hojlund, under the management of Ruben Amorim.
Berbatov asserts that both players appear to be “lost and wasting all their energy” in their current roles.
Berbatov’s comments followed Manchester United’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Sunday, a result that saw Amorim’s side slip to a disappointing 15th place in the league standings. The loss has intensified scrutiny of the team’s tactical setup and player utilization.
In the match against Tottenham, Zirkzee was tasked with playing in one of the two no. 10 roles behind Hojlund, but Berbatov noted that Zirkzee often found himself too deep on the pitch, leading to an ineffective performance that left him “out of position.” This misalignment not only diminished Zirkzee’s impact on the game but also highlighted the deficiencies in Amorim’s tactical approach.
Berbatov elaborated on his concerns by stating, “You are being judged on how you perform within that system, and it becomes evident that you are unable to showcase your true potential either because the system does not suit you or because you are playing out of position.”
He went on to emphasize the issue further, stating, “Zirkzee is running all over the place, looking lost, and because of that, he cannot utilize his best attributes.”
Similarly, Berbatov pointed out that Hojlund is expending unnecessary energy tracking back to cover gaps, which arises from the midfield being poorly spaced.
“The distances between the midfielders are too great, creating significant holes in the formation. Consequently, by the time you move forward, you’ve already drained your energy on defensive duties,” he added, underscoring the tactical shortcomings that hinder both Hojlund and Zirkzee’s performances.
