Manchester United ‘haven’t been good enough’ this season claims Matthijs De Ligt as his side prepares to face Real Sociedad in the Europa League.
The European clash represents their final chance of securing any silverware this season after recently being knocked out of the FA Cup.
Sitting 14th in the league table, they hold an outside chance of winning a trophy for what would be the third consecutive season.
Recent form tells us that expectations should be low given their penalty shootout exit to Fulham and just two league wins in their last six including three defeats.
Despite only taking over earlier this season, the pressure has been ramped up on manager Ruben Amorim, who claimed that not even winning the competition would help save their season ahead of their first leg with Sociedad.
“It’s just the pressure of winning. In this club, everything is so important. Just the pressure of winning is always the same. Not just winning, but also the performance. I think we have, in this moment, a lot of pressure on us.
“People look at this competition as the only competition that can save our season. I don’t see it like that. Nothing can save our season.”
De Ligt admits lack of shock to United form
Also speaking ahead of the game was their £38million summer signing De Ligt, who has come under fire this season for his performances.
United legend Paul Scholes previously claimed he should be sold due to his poor form while ex-Premier League stars Michael Owen and Martin Keown have both criticised the former Ajax star.
“I wouldn’t call it a shock,” said De Ligt when discussing United’s poor form. “What I said, obviously, you would have expected a little bit better the way it is at the moment. But, yes, it’s the Premier League where you’re playing.
“And the Premier League is, you can’t be at 99 per cent every day because then you lose games against the teams that are in the Premier League. So, obviously, this season, in a lot of games, we haven’t been good enough. So we know that.
“We try to improve as a team, try to improve as an individual, which also is really important, I think. And then, in the end, it has also sometimes a little bit to do with luck also, I think. But we all know that we have to improve and to become better.
“But I’m now talking about the Premier League. But I think tomorrow [vs Real Sociedad] is another chance to show our worth in a European competition.
“Until now, we haven’t lost a game. So hopefully we can keep it that way and get a good result.”