Ruben Amorim walks off the pitch fuming after another defeat
Ruben Amorim is quickly learning what a big job rescuing Manchester United is
Ruben Amorim admits Manchester United are stuck in one of the “lowest moments” in the club’s illustrious history ahead of the Boxing Day trip to Wolves.
The United manager, who again has to contend with the distraction of the Marcus Rashford situation and whether he will be named in his squad, currently has his new team 13th in the Premier League.
United are well on course to record a lowest-ever Premier League finish – the eighth place they ended up under Erik ten Hag in May.
And not since 1989-90, when Sir Alex Ferguson won the FA Cup to salvage his job, have United finished out of the top 10 in English football, when they coincidentally came 13th in the old First Division.
Amorim remains convinced he can revive United’s fortunes, although,when asked what Rashford has to do to play his way back into the first team squad the Portuguese did admit that his club are at a low point.
Sections of Man Utd fans show their support for Marcus Rashford
Sections of Man Utd fans want Marcus Rashford to stay Credit: Shutterstock/Peter Powell
And he implied that the responsibility Rashford has to take on his shoulders is all the greater due to having been at Old Trafford for such a long time
“Like any other player, the best that they can be,” said Amorim, when asked what he expected from Rashford.
“If you have big talents, big performance, big responsibility, big engagement, push forward everybody in this moment.
“And some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time.
“So this is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. So we have to face it and be strong in this moment. That’s what I want for every player on the team.
“(There is) no situation. When I feel that is the right moment I will change something, until then I will continue to think about what is the best for the team.
“It’s my decision. He wants to play. He is trying. It’s my decision, only my decision.
“I spoke with a lot of players individually during training so I’m trying to do things my way. And it’s the only way I know. If I don’t do that I will lose myself, and I will not lose myself. I know what I’m doing.”
‘I’m so clear in my message’
Amorim, who has the backing of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the United ownership in his handling of the 27-year-old former England star, insisted that, contrary to mounting evidence, the situation surrounding Rashford has not become an unwanted distraction in an already difficult season.
“No, I don’t think so,” he said. “Not for me, not for the other players because everybody is there every day during training, they understand. That is the key point.
“For the media and for the other people, I cannot control that. But I’m really focused and they know, I’m so clear in my message, everybody in Carrington knows what I’m talking about and what I want from Marcus and everybody else.
“So it’s not a distraction for us. Maybe it is for the media, but that is not my concern.”
A leaking ship
United’s steady demise under Ten Hag seems to have maintained, or even gathered pace, under Amorim, who has won four and lost four of his nine league and cup games in charge.
In terms of the bigger picture, the United manager admitted he was at a loss to explain the longer-term decline of a club that has now not won the league for a dozen years, and even forced a joke about the leak in a press room roof that dripped while he was talking.
“That’s a difficult question to answer. If I knew, I would solve all the problems of this club, even this,” said Amorim, pointing at the ceiling.
“I know what I’m going to do. That is so clear for me. That’s why I feel so, I will not say relaxed because I’m really frustrated, also like the fans, but I know what to do.
“But then we have to solve some problems step by step, finding answers for everything. But it’s a very difficult moment. We understand the fans and we will fight that.
“We have to know that don’t let this become normal. I understand that it’s a tough moment and it’s on me. Since the first day that I arrived, it’s on me because I’m responsible for the team.
“So we cannot think about that. We just have to think about improving, to understand the context and not focus on what happened in the past. The present is this. What we have to do for the future to not happen again.”
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