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Paul Scholes Critiques Zirkzee’s Decision in Draw Against Liverpool

Scholes believes Zirkzee missed a crucial opportunity to become a hero, while Amorim defends his decision to pass to Maguire in the dying.

By Sebastián Hernadez

Photo: Manchester United and Scholes social networks.
Photo: Manchester United and Scholes social networks.
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Paul Scholes has expressed his belief that Joshua Zirkzee made the "wrong decision" in the final moments of Manchester United's 2-2 draw at Liverpool. Zirkzee, who has had a difficult start to his United career, found himself in a prime position to score a dramatic winner but opted to pass to Harry Maguire instead. Maguire, however, squandered the chance by sending his shot over the bar. The decision was reminiscent of Diego Forlan’s pivotal moment at Anfield during the 2002/03 season when he became an overnight hero with two second-half goals that secured United’s first win at Liverpool in nearly a year.

Zirkzee’s struggles at Old Trafford have drawn comparisons to Forlan's early difficulties, with the young Dutch forward managing only three league goals since his summer move from Bologna. The 23-year-old was substituted after just 33 minutes in United’s previous defeat to Newcastle, and there has been speculation that he could leave in the January transfer window. Despite this, manager Ruben Amorim has continuously backed the player, and Zirkzee was brought on in the 86th minute against Liverpool as United pushed for a winner.

Amorim Defends Zirkzee’s Decision

In his post-match comments, Amorim defended Zirkzee's choice to pass to Maguire rather than take a shot at goal, stating that it was the "perfect decision" in his opinion. Amorim argued that while Zirkzee had the option to shoot, his pass to Maguire was placed in a central position, but the pace of the ball made it difficult for the United captain to score. Amorim suggested that Zirkzee’s decision-making was the right one, even if it didn’t result in a goal.

Scholes Disagrees: "Zirkzee Will Know He Made the Wrong Decision"

Scholes, however, disagreed with his former manager's view. On Premier League Productions, Scholes stated that Zirkzee would likely look back on the moment and feel he had made the wrong call. He likened the situation to Forlan’s famous moment at Anfield, where the Uruguayan scored a match-winning goal after struggling to find the net for United. Scholes pointed out that Zirkzee, in his position, had the chance to become a hero and would have known the significance of the opportunity.

He acknowledged that Zirkzee’s lack of confidence, especially after his early substitution against Newcastle, might have played a role in his decision. However, Scholes expressed hope that in the future, Zirkzee would make a different decision when faced with similar situations, believing that this could be a turning point in his development as a player.

  • Zirkzee’s Missed Opportunity: Zirkzee passed up a chance to score a potential winner at Anfield, opting instead to assist Harry Maguire, who missed the shot.
  • Amorim’s Defense: Ruben Amorim defended Zirkzee's decision to pass, calling it the "perfect decision," though the resulting shot was off-target.
  • Scholes Critiques the Decision: Paul Scholes disagreed with Amorim’s assessment, suggesting that Zirkzee would regret not taking the shot, similar to Diego Forlan’s pivotal moment in 2002.
  • Zirkzee’s Confidence Struggles: Zirkzee has struggled with confidence, particularly after being substituted early in a previous match, but Scholes remains hopeful that future opportunities will see him make different decisions.

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