Alex Iwobi’s ‘damning’ interview has lit a fire under those concerned with Ruben Amorim's tactics following Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday afternoon. The former Arsenal winger pulled no punches, laying bare how the Cottagers managed to tie their visitors in knots and easily expose their opposition manager's midfield and defensive blueprint.
Although the match saw little action inside the box, there were major flashpoints in the Premier League’s primetime Sunday slot. In the first half, Bruno Fernandes blazed a penalty over the bar, while Leny Yoro’s alleged foul in the buildup to Rodrigo Muniz’s own goal caused plenty of controversy. What looked like being United’s decisive moment was then undone when substitute Emile Smith Rowe scored with his very first touch, tucking away an Iwobi cross from close range. Watch the equaliser below:
The result leaves United among eight sides still searching for a win after two games of the new Premier League season - hardly the start they envisioned following their rebuild. Despite splashing £200 million on new forwards over the summer, Amorim’s side have yet to find the net from open play with one of their own in three hours of football. Worse still, their midfield and defence now look like an open book in the 3-4-2-1 system they are set out in - easy to read, and easier still to punish.
Alex Iwobi Reveals How Fulham Were Able To Punish United
Fulham
At the turn of the year, when everything was going pear-shaped at Old Trafford, the consensus in United circles was simple: Amorim just needed to survive until summer. Then, with fresh signings and a clean slate, he could finally launch his rescue mission. Yet two games into the 2025/26 campaign, it already feels as though opposition managers have cracked the code on how to play against him.
After full-time, Iwobi was asked how he managed to slice through United’s midfield with such ease and drag Fulham back into the contest after going a goal down. His response was as blunt as it was revealing (watch the interview below):
"To push on high, and it allows me to get into that pocket. It's something we worked on in training, and we were able to execute that in a match. We knew we would be able to get behind their two midfielders, and the three centre-backs wouldn't want to jump, so we exploited that today."
It appears three shiny new forwards isn't going to be enough to help United get back on track in their pursuit of the glory days under their new manager, with glaring deficiencies all over the pitch giving plenty of reason for online grumblings.
One X user put it simply: "Any manager that gets called out this way needs to take a serious look at themselves - and so should their bosses." Elsewhere, a second added:
"This is just to let you know that, if he doesn't adapt, he is finished. If opposition players are already boasting to the media about how they trained and successfully nullified your tactics in the Premier League, if you stick to it, you are done."
amorim man utd
Another continued: "This is embarrassing, man," as a fourth remarked: "Okay, this is getting annoying. What do you mean Smith Rowe and Iwobi know how we're gonna play? This is purely a technical issue. Amorim, do something before I start losing it."
Elsewhere, a fifth concluded: "The opponents know exactly how to navigate the Amorim's system. He is too stubborn to accept that it won't work in the Premier League. No team succeeds with a 3-4-2-1 setup in the Premier League; Amorim won't either."
Amorim now boasts a Premier League win rate of just 24.1 per cent (seven wins in 29 games) - identical to Neil Warnock’s record of 27 wins from 112 matches, a stint that included two relegations. Still, with a home clash against newly-promoted Burnley up next, he may have a brief window to catch his breath and steady the ship.