Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has explained his decision to drop in-form striker Benjamin Šeško for their high-profile Premier League clash against Liverpool at Anfield, ijobasportsnews.com reports.
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The move came as a surprise to many, with the £73.3 million forward having just found his scoring rhythm after netting in consecutive fixtures against Brentford and Sunderland. However, Amorim opted to start Matheus Cunha up front, despite the Brazilian still searching for his first goal in United colours.
Speaking before kick-off, Amorim shed light on the tactical reasoning behind his selection.
“Cunha returning to the team — I think he’s one player with characteristics that can help us push the team forward,” Amorim said.
“Ibrahima Konaté and Virgil van Dijk like aerial confrontations, so we’ll try to give them something different to deal with in order to win the game.”
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The decision appeared to be a tactical ploy to unsettle Liverpool’s backline with mobility rather than physicality. While Šeško, standing at 6ft 5in, offers a strong aerial presence, Amorim’s choice of the quicker Cunha aimed to stretch the Reds’ defence.
That strategy paid off almost immediately. Bryan Mbeumo stunned the Anfield crowd just a minute into the game, darting between Van Dijk and Konaté to latch onto a through ball and fire past Giorgi Mamardashvili.
Liverpool players protested, arguing that Alexis Mac Allister was down injured in the buildup, but referee Michael Oliver waved play on.
