Amorim could 'lose Zirkzee and Hojlund mentally' - Sutton

Ruben Amorim will have "a real problem" keeping his strikers on side after Manchester United allowed Marcus Rashford and Antony leave on loan and failed to sign any replacements during the transfer window, says former Premier League forward Chris Sutton.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Sutton said he would not be surprised if the remaining attackers "think about not applying themselves" for the rest of this season.

"If you are Joshua Zirkzee or Rasmus Hojlund and you're seeing Kobbie Mainoo - who is a really excellent footballer but isn't a centre-forward or false nine - being picked, you are thinking: 'How on earth is he playing in front of me?'

"That is a real problem. Amorim is basically telling the pair of them that he doesn't rate them in any way, shape or form.

"He could lose these two players, mentally, for the rest of the season now and they might think about not applying themselves."

Ex-England winger Theo Walcott added: "Managers sometimes do this to test players. They want to see whether the player is with them or not.

"It's going to be interesting to see how Manchester United do cope with this. I just think it's an interesting dynamic for Amorim to make, particularly if he is so fixed on this formation."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds