Viktor Gyokeres reminded Manchester United what they are missing on Monday night by scoring a brace as Sporting CP beat Estoril.
The striker has been in and out of the team lately because of injury but has returned to form with three goals in two-and-a-half matches since returning. As such, the Sweden international is now up to 46 goals for club and country in 45 games this season.
Gyokeres got the most recent of those from the penalty spot, converting from 12 yards in the 96th minute to seal a 3-1 win for Sporting at the Estadio Jose Alvalade. Soon after, he shared a message with his millions of followers on social media.
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Posting on his Instagram story, Gyokeres shared a photo from the Estoril match alongside the words: "Let's go," punctuating it with a lion emoji - Sporting are nicknamed Leões (Lions). The striker scoring his 28th career penalty - of 32 taken - came barely 24 hours after United exited the FA Cup in the fifth round after losing a shootout to Fulham at Old Trafford.
Joshua Zirkzee missed the fifth and final spot-kick two months after scoring the winning one during United's shootout with Arsenal in the third round. Just like Gyokeres, the Netherlands international posted on social media after the game.
"Sorry to let you down today, Reds! Thanks for the incredible support," he wrote alongside a red heart emoji.
Zirkzee, though, is the club's most in-form centre forward, with one goal - the equaliser in the fourth round against Leicester City - in his last 16 appearances. That is because Rasmus Hojlund has gone 18 games without scoring since firing in both goals in the 2-1 mid-December win over Europa League league phase opponents Viktoria Plzen.
Gyokeres continues to remind United of their need for a striker this summer. After four months of speculation about a future reunion with Ruben Amorim since his former head coach's appointment by the Reds, the contrast between his past and present options up front remains as stark as ever.
