Ruben Amorim has been criticised for a ‘staggering’ decision he made for Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Fulham in the Premier League.
United, who lost 1-0 to Arsenal on the opening weekend, recorded their first point of the new season at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
A Rodrigo Muniz own goal gave United the lead on the hour mark before Emile Smith Rowe levelled on 73 minutes.
Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty in the first half, smashing his spot-kick well over the bar.
As was the case against Arsenal, Manchester United’s £74m summer signing Benjamin Sesko once again started on the bench before being introduced after half-time.
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Explaining why Sesko did not start against Fulham, Amorim said in his pre-match interview: ‘Benjamin has been with us for two weeks, he’s trying to understand everything.
‘We need to be patient a little. We just want to win the match and try to help all our players.’
Andy Gray was ‘flabbergasted’ and ‘staggered’ by Amorim’s decision, however, and said he could not understand why Sesko did not start.
‘I don’t get it. I am flabbergasted,’ the ex-Scotland striker said on beIN SPORTS.
‘I moved to clubs for big money during my career and trust me, I didn’t need three or four weeks to understand the team.
‘Sesko is an international footballer, played in the Bundesliga, he cost more than £70m… are you telling me he can’t go into that Manchester United team as a centre forward and play there?
‘Come on! I must have missed something, seriously. If you’re a United fan, you want Sesko up there with Mbeumo and Cunha.
‘He’s had a pre-season in Germany, he’s fit and ready to go. I’m staggered, I don’t get it.’
The stalemate at Craven Cottage means both Fulham and Manchester United are still searching for their first wins of the new season.
‘It was an even contest in the second half but in the last 15-20 minutes Fulham were the better team,’ Clinton Morrison told BBC Radio 5 Live. ‘Their substitutions had a better impact on the game.
‘A draw is probably a fair result. United might disagree because of the penalty miss from Fernandes and the [Matheus] Cunha chance in the first half but all in all a fair result.’
Manchester United return to action on Wednesday night against Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup, while Fulham take on Bristol City.
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