Joshua Zirkzee brutally cheered by Man Utd fans after being hauled off by Ruben Amorim in the first half against Newcastle

Zirkzee was given the nod to start in place of the suspended Bruno Fernandes by Ruben Amorim for the visit of Newcastle as Manchester United desperately tried to end a recent three-game losing run. But only 32 minutes had passed when the Dutchman was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo after a dismal showing at Old Trafford. United fans inside the stadium cheered the change, while supporters on social media were also quick to react to Zirkzee's performance.

Prominent United writer Andy Mitten said on X: "Zirkzee brought off after 32 minutes - to cheers from home fans. Replaced by Mainoo. This has been a mess so far. Beyond bad."

Alex Turk of the Daily Express said: "Zirkzee had a woeful 30 mins there but no player deserves that. That was like a horror film. So brutal. Hope he's good. Jesus."

The Manchester Evening News' Tyrone Marshall: "Zirkzee gets his coat and goes straight down the tunnel. Some applause which he doesn't return, and then more boos when he reaches the mouth of the tunnel. That feels pretty brutal to be honest."

Ball Talk stated: "Every pass Zirkzee plays is misplaced. He takes too long on the ball and he can't run. Honestly I can't understand who scouted him."

From Manchester World, Rich Fay commented: "Joshua Zirkzee has remerged from the tunnel with his hood up. It was a brutal moment that will no doubt only further kill his confidence. He was awful today, but the reality is anyone could have come off."

Zirkzee has struggled for consistent form ever since his big money transfer from Bologna in the summer. This was a slightly different role, having been used to leading the line as an alternative to Rasmus Hojlund. But the Dutchman completed only three of his nine attempted passes (per Fotmob), nor did he manage a shot, create any chances, or even touch the ball in Newcastle's box. Mainoo being the choice to replace him may also be indicative of Amorim believing United's midfield of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen to have been too weak.

It was less than a month ago that Zirkzee scored twice in a 4-0 win over Everton, but he now has much to prove. Amorim has shown that he is prepared to make the big calls and be brutal if he deems it in the best interest of the team. So it is now up to Zirkzee to demonstrate on the training pitch that he is worthy of a place in this project.