MANCHESTER, England — Ruben Amorim has expressed some remorse regarding his recent public remarks about his team’s performance, referring to Manchester United as “the worst, maybe, in the history of Manchester United.” However, he assures that he will not shy away from voicing his honest opinions in the future.
In his first press conference since his controversial statement, Amorim commented, “If you want, I can be delusional and say different things.” He emphasized the importance of honesty, stating, “I say it as I saw it. I told the players and I told you. I think it’s a good thing to be honest. If you want me to say other things—you saw one thing, I saw another—I can start to do that. It’s easier for me. But what I’m noticing, they know. If you are in the stadium, you can understand. Let’s confront the reality and work on it.”
His striking comment about United’s struggles followed a 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton in the Premier League. This loss marked the fourth time in five home league games that United was unable to secure a victory and was the seventh loss across all competitions since Amorim stepped in for Erik ten Hag in November.
At present, United finds itself languishing in 13th place within the 20-team Premier League, perilously closer to the relegation zone than to reaching qualification for European competitions, as the team has completed 22 matches out of 38.
Despite the critical comments, Amorim clarified that he does not seek to place blame on his players. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach acknowledged, “I am (most) responsible for the performances and the results.” He added, “I am a young guy, and sometimes I make mistakes. This time I needed to speak out. Maybe it was a mistake, and I felt nervous before the press conference, which led to me saying things I shouldn’t have. I won’t promise that it won’t happen again, but I will strive to improve.”
Amorim addressed the media before United’s Europa League matchup with Scottish team Rangers at Old Trafford on Thursday. He noted that his players felt “more nervous” and “anxious” while playing at home, which has hindered their ability to achieve better results. “When there’s inexperience in this kind of situation, it’s challenging to gain momentum—especially when you’re at a massive club,” he remarked. “That was the point I meant to convey after the loss. Admittedly, the manner in which I delivered it may not have been ideal, but that’s just how I approach things.”
As for the Europa League, United is currently seventh in the 36-team tournament standings, with three wins and three draws from their initial six matches. Each team in the tournament plays eight matches, and the top eight finishers will qualify directly for the Round of 16, eliminating the need for a two-legged playoff.
