Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee will be out for an extended period with a hamstring injury that could mean he misses the rest of the season.
The Netherlands international, 23, limped off in the second half of Sunday’s defeat at Newcastle and has been undergoing tests to determine the extent of the injury. The Dutch striker went off 10 minutes into the second half of his team’s 4-1 loss against Newcastle
Head coach Ruben Amorim will address the issue when he speaks on Wednesday before the crucial Europa League match against Lyon at Old Trafford.
United are already without the likes of Amad Diallo, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt among others due to fitness issues, and the loss of the 23-year-old leaves Ruben Amorim relying on Rasmus Hojlund as the only senior striker available for the Lyon game midweek. Beyond him, Amorim could bring 17-year-old Chido Obi back into the fold.
After the 1st leg draw last week, this week will be very crucial for Manchester United and Ruben Amorim as the Europa league is the only chance to qualify for the Champions league next season as they will only be eligible to play in the top-tier European competition if they can win UEFA Europa league.
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In the 32 premier League appearances, Joshua Zirkzee has managed only 3 goals and 1 assists during the entirety of the season. He has featured in the starting lineup for 14 matches and has featured from the bench in 18 matches.
Zirkzee has made huge improvements over recent outings, after enduring a difficult first half of the campaign, and scored a crucial goal in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final clash in France.
Zirkzee enjoyed a dream start to his Old Trafford career, scoring on his debut in the Premier League opener against Fulham back in August.
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However, he then endured a barren four-month period without a goal and suffered the ignominy of being subbed off in the first half of a Premier League match against Newcastle at home.
He has just on the verge of turning his season around but the injury will see him off the ground until the next season starts.
He might not have been a prolific scorer but has emerged as a crucial part of the team as he helps in the build up play and allows Bruno Fernandes and the wingers to be more attacking in their approach.
