Rúben Amorim may have to make Manchester United XI decision that Gary Neville couldn’t believe in December

Rúben Amorim may have to make a decision for his Manchester United starting XI against Tottenham that Gary Neville could not believe in December.

Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon with a high-stakes clash against Tottenham Hotspur in North London.

The two sides have already served up a memorable battle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season, with Spurs edging a pulsating 4-3 thriller to knock Rúben Amorim’s men out of the Carabao Cup. Now, with league points on the line, both teams will be determined to seize control in what promises to be another fiercely contested encounter.

It has been an underwhelming campaign for both clubs, who find themselves languishing in 13th and 14th place, with United holding a narrow two-point lead over their hosts. With their ambitions far exceeding their current reality, the pressure is mounting as they search for a turning point in their season.

For Amorim, this fixture represents another opportunity to build momentum and reinforce his vision for the squad. Meanwhile, Postecoglou faces increasing scrutiny, with growing unrest among Spurs supporters over their side’s struggles.

With both teams desperate to get back on track, Sunday’s showdown is set to be a tense and defining moment in their respective campaigns.

Amorim forced into decision Neville doesn’t like

On Saturday afternoon, news broke that United midfield trio Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, and Toby Collyer had suffered injuries in training ahead of the Spurs trip.

With Mason Mount also out until next month, this leaves Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Bruno Fernandes as United’s only three senior midfield options heading into the Tottenham fixture.

Therefore, should Amorim want to play Fernandes further up the pitch like he did last time United played Postgecoglou’s team in North London, he will have little choice but to play Eriksen and Casemiro in midfield for the first time since a 3-0 loss against Newcastle at Old Trafford.

Former United captain Gary Neville will be aghast if this is the case, considering his words in December about the pair.

“Casemiro and Eriksen in midfield are like mannequins. Little one-two around them, it’s so easy,” he told Sky Sports when assessing the duo’s performance against Newcastle.

“They’ve been two fabulous players throughout their careers, but the last thing either of them wants to see is the other next to them. All you want around you is legs. They shouldn’t be playing a game together in the Premier League. They really shouldn’t.”

There is another option for Amorim

Although Casemiro and Eriksen are two likely candidates to start due to the injury issues, there is a third, riskier option for Amorim should he choose to look to United’s Academy.

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Reports suggest that Jack Moorhouse is set to travel with the squad as United faces Tottenham, and the 19-year-old midfielder may be in line for his debut after impressing the 40-year-old in December.

Moorhouse is more of an attack-minded player, but should Casemiro start and Fernandes play deeper, Amorim could slot the Academy star into one of his attacking No. 10 roles to throw a wildcard option that Tottenham may not expect.

Alternatively, Amorim has also been keen to wax lyrical about new signing Patrick Dorgu’s attacking abilities despite the expectation that he will be a left wing-back long term and may choose to play either Dorgu or Garnacho as an attacking midfielder on the left-hand side.

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