Ruben Amorim warns of ‘long journey’ ahead for miserable Manchester United
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Wolverhampton Wanderers players celebrating after scoring against Manchester United in their 2-0 Premier League win.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said that he needs time on the training ground to iron out the Red Devils’ flaws, after a 2-0 English Premier League loss to lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers on Dec 26.
United’s case at Molineux was not helped by a third red card of the season for captain Bruno Fernandes just two minutes into the second half after a second yellow.
Matheus Cunha then exposed the visitors’ frailties from set pieces by scoring directly from a corner before the Brazilian teed up Hwang Hee-chan to seal a vital win that lifted Wolves out of the relegation zone.
Amorim has won just two of his first seven Premier League games to leave United languishing in 14th.
“I think we were always in control, not always dominating, but in control... but the same things, set pieces and also the sending-off was really hard for us,” said the Portuguese.
“I said it before to everybody that it will be a long journey and this moment will be really tough. We have to continue. We need to have time to train.
“I manage but I haven’t trained. They (players) need time to train because they are changing completely their way of playing. It is hard on them.
“In this moment, we just have to survive and win sometimes... We have to fight these bad moments.”
United have now lost their last three games, with a 4-3 League Cup exit at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur followed by a damaging 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth on Dec 22.
In the last five league games, Amorim’s side have conceded from either a corner or a free kick.
Andre Onana complained that he had been fouled as the United goalkeeper was pinned between two Wolves players when Cunha’s in-swinging delivery flew into the far corner.
Amorim also expressed his frustration that the opening goal was not ruled out, but did take heart from the performance of his players without their skipper Fernandes for almost the entirety of the second period.
“Onana cannot go to the ball because he has one man in front and one man in the back and in the last moment, he’s jumping, just a touch in his back can change the way you see the ball,” the United boss added.
“Some guys are not even looking to the ball. But I don’t want to focus on that.
“The good thing is we were near the (Wolves) goal even with 10 men, but we lost and we continue our job.”
Forward Marcus Rashford was again left out, the fourth game in succession the 27-year-old did not make the squad.
He was initially omitted after suggesting he wanted a new challenge away from the club in an unauthorised interview to the media, and Amorim suggested after the Wolves loss that the England international is still not part of his plans.
“It’s always the same reason it’s going to be. We have to be the same professionals, the same guys, winning or losing. I will continue with my idea until the end,” he said.
Asked if Rashford has shown the reaction required to restore him to the squad, Amorim added: “If he’s not here, you can make your mind up.”
Meanwhile, Vitor Pereira is the first manager to win his opening two Premier League games in charge of Wolves.
“He came here with a lot of energy. He said that he dreamt of coming to the Premier League and we saw this, we can see this energy,” said Cunha, who now has 10 league goals this season.
Amorim’s task does not get any easier with in-form Newcastle United visiting Old Trafford on Dec 30.
A trip to league leaders Liverpool is United’s first fixture of 2025 before they face Arsenal away in the FA Cup third round. AFP, REUTERS
