Amorim Accepts Blame for Crisis at ‘Nervous’ Manchester United

Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, takes full responsibility for the ongoing crisis at the club, admitting the team is struggling with nerves and pressure.

On Wednesday, Ruben Amorim aimed to clarify his shocking comment that Manchester United is “the worst team” in the club’s history. The manager acknowledged partial responsibility for the crisis at Old Trafford.

United’s 3-1 loss to Brighton on Sunday marked their sixth defeat in nine Premier League matches under Amorim, who took over as manager last November following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag.

The club, currently struggling in 13th place in the Premier League standings, is set to face Scottish giants Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday. They are well-placed for advancing to the knockout stages of this competition.

Rúben Amorim, the 39-year-old former Sporting Lisbon manager, clarified his remarks following the Brighton match during a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

“I was referring to myself more than the players,” he stated. “In that same response, I also mentioned that I wasn’t supporting my players effectively. If you notice, whenever I talk—and I do so often—I never highlight inadequacies about them when criticism arises.”

He said, “I do get frustrated at times and I probably shouldn’t express it like that, but it’s the reality. Hiding my frustration can be really tough in certain moments. The positive side is that I conveyed the same message differently to everyone in the dressing room just five minutes earlier.”

“The reaction was expected since I’m very straightforward with my players.”

Amorim commented that his under-performing team was “too nervous and really anxious,” adding that matches at Old Trafford were even more challenging.

“We feel more anxious playing at home compared to away because we’ve lost many games, about four out of five. It’s becoming increasingly challenging,” he stated.

However, we have room for improvement. I believe that if we manage to avoid conceding the first goal early on—like in the fourth minute, which stands out clearly in my mind—it becomes quite challenging to settle the team down when goals follow quickly at 10 minutes and then 15 minutes.

“The priority in my mind is preventing the opposition from scoring. We need to net the first goal ourselves. If we do, it will shift momentum and improve our play at home right off the bat.”

Harry Maguire, the former United captain, stated at the same press conference that the players need to “reflect on ourselves.”

“We need to take responsibility both personally and collectively, which is what I focus on. When I’m at home, I reflect on how I can contribute to the team’s improvement and help us reach our goals again—it’s a challenging task,” he said.

Amorim dismissed a question regarding the possible sale of Alejandro Garnacho, who has been associated with potential transfers to Napoli and Chelsea during the January transfer window.

“I get the question, but let’s concentrate on the game,” he stated. “I don’t want to discuss that topic, especially right before a match. Our attention should be on our players being here to play. We need to improve and win games in order to experience what it’s like winning again. Let’s focus on achieving that.”