Amorim to unveil 'the animal' as he gives the Man Utd striker a chance to shine

Ruben Amorim has thrown off the shackles and given Manchester United’s teenage sensation Chido Obi a chance to shine, with the 17-year-old striker tipped to spark a late-season revival.

The former Arsenal wonderkid, dubbed an “animal” by academy coach Phil Jones, has been knocking on the first-team door since his summer switch.

United’s campaign has been a slog—14th in the Premier League after Sunday’s 4-1 hammering at Newcastle, where Joshua Zirkzee’s season-ending hamstring injury left them toothless.

With Rasmus Højlund misfiring (eight goals in 42 games) and £52m exit talk swirling (TMW), Amorim turned to Obi, who’s been tearing it up with 14 goals in 11 U18 and U21 games this season, including a hat-trick against Chelsea’s U18s (Express).

His three senior cameos—against Tottenham, Fulham, and Leicester—showed glimpses of magic, nearly winning a penalty at Craven Cottage (Express).

“Chido’s got everything—movement, finishing, hunger,” Jones told MUTV, praising the 6ft 2in Dane who joined United for a clearer path to the first team.

Obi’s brief outing in February’s 1-0 Spurs loss drew Amorim’s eye, with the boss noting his “clever” box play despite just two minutes (MEN). Against Fulham in March, Obi rattled Bernd Leno with a close-range effort, outshining Højlund’s 18-game drought (Express). “He’s naive but dangerous,” Amorim said post-match, hinting at bigger roles (Mirror).

With Zirkzee sidelined and Højlund struggling, Obi’s been training with the seniors, mimicking Cristiano Ronaldo’s “Siii” celebration in youth games (Mirror).

United’s 2-2 draw at Lyon last week—marred by Andre Onana’s errors—underlined their need for a goal-scorer, and tomorrow’s return leg could see Obi off the bench. “We’re managing his minutes, but he’s ready,” Amorim told a press conference, per ManUtd.com.

Fans on X are buzzing: @DExpress_Sport tweeted, “Obi’s boost for United—Amorim’s gamble pays off!” while @UtdFaithfuls begged, “Start him vs. City!”

United’s attack has managed just 37 league goals, worse than all but the bottom three (BBC), and Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 has drawn flak, with Jamie Carragher slamming its “chaos” (Mirror).

Yet Obi’s emergence offers hope. His 41-goal U18 Premier League record at Arsenal and United’s FA Youth Cup semi-final run—where he’ll face Aston Villa tonight—prove his pedigree (Express). “Chido needs games to grow,” Amorim added, balancing first-team and U18 duties (ManUtd.com).

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £100m summer splurge eyes Liam Delap and Matheus Cunha (Mirror), but Obi could save millions.

As United face Lyon, then Manchester City on April 20, the teenager’s hunger might just turn the tide. “He’s our future,” posted @RisingStarXI. With Old Trafford desperate for a hero, Obi’s moment feels near.