Ruben Amorim speaking after Arsenal vs Man Utd
Ruben Amorim was dealt his first defeat as Manchester United boss against Arsenal
Ruben Amorim is subtly hinting to Manchester United supporters that his newly inherited squad isn't up to scratch, suggests Alan Shearer.
After taking over from the sacked Erik ten Hag, Amorim managed to put a debut 1-1 draw away at Ipswich Town behind him to secure consecutive wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton, before a challenging trip to the Emirates on Wednesday. However, a 2-0 defeat handed the boss his first Premier League loss, with a hard-fought, goalless first half proving fruitless after two set-piece goals sealed United's fate.
As Amorim's unbeaten run came to an end, Shearer believes the signs have been there, and the manager has been covertly indicating to fans that the turnaround at Old Trafford won't be quick with the current lacklustre cohort.
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"I think in his press conferences Ruben Amorim is actually sending subliminal messages to United fans to tell them that this is not a very good team and it's going to take time," Shearer confessed to Betfair.
"He said before the game against Arsenal that they're going to have to suffer and there will be times where things aren't good. I admire his honesty and openness.
"But, I also do think that he's probably got into the football club and onto the training ground and thought, 'Is this what I've got with all the money you've spent? ' - although he'll never say that, I'm sure there'll be a part of him that thinks that."
Amorim
Amorim was defeated for the first time at Arsenal ( Image: Getty Images)
During Ten Hag's time at Manchester United, the club splashed over £600million on new talent, with a whopping £175m spent in the summer before Amorim took charge, reports the Express.
"The Arsenal game was his first big test in terms of proper opposition," Shearer continued. "I mean, you'd expect them to compete with Ipswich, and they were fortunate to get the draw.
"You'd expect Manchester United to win at home in Europe, and you'd expect them to beat Everton at home. They did alright in those three games.
"But their big test was against Arsenal, and Amorim set up really defensively, and they frustrated Arsenal in the first half, but as soon as Arsenal scored one goal, there was only one team that was going to win the game."
Goals from Jurrien Timber and William Saliba – both from corners – ensured all three points remained in north London. Now, Amorim's squad is gearing up for a home game against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, followed by a Europa League match next Thursday, and then a crucial showdown with rivals Manchester City at the Etihad.
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