'Impossible' – Alan Shearer fears for two Manchester United stars under Ruben Amorim
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Alan Shearer fears for Manchester United midfielders Casemiro and Christian Eriksen and says it will be ‘nigh on impossible’ for them to perform under new Old Trafford boss Ruben Amorim.
United appointed highly-rated Portuguese coach Amorim as their new manager before the international break after finally deciding to sack Erik ten Hag.
Amorim took over at Old Trafford on November 11 and oversaw a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town in his first game in charge.
Casemiro and Eriksen started at Portman Road but were both subbed off in the second half and Shearer fears for their futures given the style of play Amorim intends to implement at the Theatre of Dreams.
‘Amorim obviously changed the system, he went to his favoured three at the back,’ Shearer said on The Rest is Football podcast.
‘I was thinking "here we go" when they scored early but they failed to kick on. It was very much like what we've seen all season.
‘Ipswich more than deserved to get a point because [Andre] Onana pulled off a couple of incredible saves.
‘He's got a really big job on his hands and it's going to take a lot of time. You can't judge him after one game, he's going to need the rest of the season to implement his style.
‘They need new players in there, there's no doubt, they need some more legs and improving in the forward positions.
‘For a start he's got an ageing midfield. He played Casemiro and Eriksen in there today, it would be nigh on impossible for those two to do what Amorim wants in terms of the pressing and the high energy and the running and everything else.
‘He's going to need this season so sort things out. They spend a lot of money in the summer but they're not going to get the rewards for that.
‘He will need the rest of the season to get things done, it's going to take time.’
Manchester United made a rapid start to Amorim’s first game in charge, with Marcus Rashford breaking the deadlock inside two minutes.
But Ipswich scored a deserved equaliser on the stroke of half-time through Omari Hutchinson and were good value for the point.
‘Not a good result but it is a tough league with high intensity,’ Amorin said. ‘We started very well but should have had more of the ball. But we are learning.’
On his first taste of Premier League football, ex-Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim added: ‘It is a great environment, a great spectacle.
‘But when the game starts it is like I am back in Portugal or the third division. I am so focused everything is the same.
‘You guys are so lucky to have the best league in the world. I am really happy to be here but today I don’t feel much because I like to win games.’
The 1-1 draw leaves Manchester United 12th in the Premier League, six points outside the Champions League places.
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