Man United lost 3-0 to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Sunday
The Red Devils conceded another goal from a set-piece at Old Trafford
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By CHRIS WHEELER
Published: 18:48 EST, 22 December 2024 | Updated: 18:48 EST, 22 December 2024
Ruben Amorim accepted responsibility for Manchester United’s latest setback as they sank to defeat at home to Bournemouth.
In particular, Amorim took the blame for conceding another goal from a set-piece after Dean Huijsen headed the visitors in front from a free-kick in the first half.
Amorim made the decision to take set-piece responsibilities off United coach Andreas Georgson and give them to his former Sporting Lisbon assistant Carlos Fernandes, but this was the seventh time in six games that one has led to a goal against his team.
‘The responsibility of everything is on me, not Carlos. We are a team in good moments and bad moments,’ he said.
‘We suffered again on set-pieces and we have to improve. We have a way of doing things. We are working on that and we are going to improve, but we didn’t lose because of set pieces, we lost because we create more chances and we didn’t score and then in this moment everything against us they can score.
‘One set-piece makes us more nervous, all the stadium. I felt it since the first minute, there’s a lot of anxiety. We have to focus on the job and not what you feel in the stadium.
‘It’s my responsibility to coach them. Of course, we want to improve. In this moment, everything is so hard.
‘I always expected (the United job to be tough), especially in these busy months. We are ready to face the challenge.’
Amorim left Marcus Rashford out of his squad for the third game in a row after the player responded to being dropped for the Manchester derby last weekend by saying he wants a new challenge in his career.
‘It’s my decision and it always will be,’ added United’s head coach. ‘It is selection. I want to see the best of my players and I try different things with different players. That’s my focus.’
Asked if Rashford could return at Wolves on Boxing Day, Amorim replied: ‘It depends. We will see.’
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola paid tribute to teenager Huijsen who also headed the decisive goal against Tottenham from a corner earlier this month.
‘He believes in himself in this kind of stadium,’ said Iraola. ‘The way he has come into the team and performed, his confidence is remarkable. We are not a very tall team but with Dean we can exploit this (set-pieces) a little bit.
‘It was a good performance; different from last season, more solid and mature.
‘The game was more level than 3-0 but we showed good defending and especially on set-plays which were dangerous with the wind. We came back stronger in the second half and finished the job.’
Iraola refused to carried away despite seeing his team move up to fifth in the table. ‘I value the points we have,’ he added. ‘Everybody is very close in the standings. If United had won, they would have been in front of us. It’s a matter of one or two games.’