The club have only won 24 points from 25 Premier League matches under the Portuguese boss
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Ruben Amorim has said he is a long way from quitting Manchester United as he rowed back on his suggestion that he might walk away from Old Trafford because of his embarrassment at his team’s terrible results in the Premier League.
United have only taken 24 points from 25 Premier League games under Amorim, which prompted him to suggest after Sunday's defeat to West Ham that he could choose to leave.
But the Portuguese instead argued that, if United carry on losing, the normal consequence would be for the club to sack him.
He explained: “What I’m seeing is that since I arrived here I’m always talking about the standards. I cannot see the team having these results, especially in the Premier League and not say nothing and not take the responsibility.
“It's just that I have a clear idea what to do. I understand the problems of the team, so I’m not, I’m far from quitting. What I’m saying is that we need to perform and, we have this season and in the future we need to perform or else they will change us. That is a normal thing.”
Amorim has explained why he decided to pay for tickets for staff members’ friends and families to attend next week’s Europa League final against Tottenham in Bilbao.
Some of the perks to United employees have been reduced or removed among a host of cost-cutting measures introduced by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
United have also had two rounds of redundances, with 250 people losing their jobs in the first round and a further 200 in the second round.
The club stopped offering staff members two complimentary tickets, prompting Amorim to instead offer to pay for them himself.
He said the United players supported him when he told them what he was doing, but downplayed his own generosity as he said it did not cost him a life-changing amount of money.
Ruben Amorim could end the season with silverware if Manchester United beat Tottenham in the Europa League but his team's domestic results must improve next season
Ruben Amorim could end the season with silverware if Manchester United beat Tottenham in the Europa League but his team's domestic results must improve next season
“We have a lot of things - people leaving, a lot of changing in the staff - and in this moment for our club sometimes it is hard when to give, when to take, to respect the people that we are taking their jobs in certain moments to survive and rebuild,” he said.
“It is complicated for the club to start giving to other members of staff so it is a really hard position. That situation was explained so in that moment my reaction was to help. It is not going to change my life. And to help the staff be there and comfortable and be a better staff for the final. Then they talk to the players and the players have the same reaction so everybody wants their families there, the staff there but it’s hard to manage things in our club. So it’s a simple thing.”
United are waiting to see if defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro will be fit for the Europa League final. Neither will travel to London for Friday’s Premier League match with Chelsea.
However, Diogo Dalot, who has missed United’s last five games, hopes he will return for the clash with Tottenham in Bilbao.