Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim admits to making mistake over ‘worst-ever’ team in club’s history comment | Football News

Ruben Amorim has moved to clarify his comments in the aftermath of Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat by Brighton in which he described his side as ‘maybe, the worst-ever’ in the club’s history.

Amorim’s comments came after watching them to slump to a sixth home league defeat in 12 this season, and his focus was squarely on the collective rather than individuals.

A defeat that leaves United 13th in the Premier League table has United fans wondering how much longer it might take for them to see the benefits of the system Amorim is trying to install, with United’s players still looking deeply uncertain in several areas.

Amorim said before the game against Liverpool at the start of the month that his players were playing with fear. The 2-2 draw at Anfield and the penalty shootout win over Arsenal in the FA Cup that followed should have boosted confidence.

Instead, Amorim said his players were still “really nervous” as Brighton secured a third straight victory in as many seasons at Old Trafford, days after an unconvincing home win over Southampton.

Ahead of Thursday’s Europa League encounter at home to Rangers, the Portuguese has looked to address the fall-out to his words following the Seagulls setback.

“First of all, I want to talk about that [his comment about this Manchester United possibly being the worst-ever side in the club’s history],” he began.

“I was talking more for myself than from my players, because you have to find out a coach that starts a job and loses seven games in the first 10. So it’s more for me, I was talking more about me than the players.

“I also talked in the same response about I was not helping my players. And if you look around, every time I speak, and I speak a lot, every time you push about the players are not good enough, I never put the spot on my players. So I understand, I gave you that headline.

“And I’m frustrated sometimes. And sometimes I should not say that in that terms, but it is what it is. And that’s it.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to hide the frustration in some moments. But the good thing is that I said the same things in a different way in the dressing room five minutes before. So the response was quite normal, because I’m really blunt with my players.

“And they trained well, they are ready for this game and let’s see tomorrow.”

Amorim: I am really direct – we are performing really badly

United have won only three of their 11 league games since Amorim started work as successor to the sacked Erik ten Hag, losing six of them.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher dismissed the majority of the current United side as a “joke” but insisted Amorim’s comments could get him into trouble.

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher said: “I’ve got no time for this Manchester United team. I don’t feel the players or their confidence – half of them are a joke anyway.

“But I’d be very surprised if the powers that be above him won’t be having a very strong word. You don’t speak like that as a Manchester United manager…when you’re in a very poor situation, you don’t pour petrol on the flames.”

So were the comments designed to shock his players into life?

“I didn’t think, that’s why,” an apologetic Amorim responded on Wednesday. “I am a young guy and sometimes I can make mistakes. That’s why I don’t like to talk after the game.

“I had to talk and maybe it was a mistake. And then I get more nervous and go to the conference really nervous. And then you said things that you shouldn’t say.

“And that’s it. Sometimes you are a young guy and do mistakes. And you improve. I don’t promise you that I will not do it again. I don’t know. So I will try to improve.”

Amorim insists it is a collective responsibility to turn around the poor start to his tenure.

“I’m not taking responsibility from the players,” he continued. “What I’m saying is that the message that you guys showed was that I was putting it on the players.

“What I was saying is that you have to look really hard to find a team like Manchester United in 10 games that lose seven games. And that is on me. Because it’s the same players doing worse with a new coach.

“That’s my only concern at the moment. But I’m not taking anything from the players. What I’m saying is that we have to improve in the details, and I explained that.

“The way we play, we are too nervous with the ball. Too nervous, really anxious. And then, if you have a little bit of experience in this game, when you fall in this type of context, it’s really hard to go up.

“Especially when you are in a massive club. So that was my only point. Was it the best point to do it after that loss, in the way I do it?

“Maybe not, but it is what it is. And I’m like that all the time. So I’m not taking responsibility from the players.

“I’m saying, I’m really, really direct in things. I’m saying in this moment, we are performing really bad. And our results are really bad in the moment.

“So it’s everything, everything together. The players, the staff, the technical staff. So I’m taking responsibility.

“I’m just pointing that I’m the biggest responsible of the performance and the results, because I’m the coach and I have that responsibility.”

Amorim: It is becoming harder to play at Old Trafford

Defeat to Brighton was United’s sixth at Old Trafford this season, remarkably the most in their opening 12 home league games since the 1893-94 season.

United were relegated on that occasion after finishing bottom of the First Division, one of a handful of seasons that mean their current side is not – statistically at least – the worst in their entire history.

Amorim believes his side are suffering in particular right now when playing in front of their own supporters at Old Trafford.

“I think that is clear. I could say different things and say, no, no, it’s the same thing. We have the support of the fans. No, we are more nervous playing at home than away, because we lost a lot of games, like four games in five.

“So it’s getting harder. But we can improve. I think if we don’t suffer the first goal, like in the fourth minute, and I remember, it’s fourth minute, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and then it’s really hard to calm down the team.

“So the first thing in my mind is they cannot score. We need to score the first one. If we score the first one, I think that will change and we will play better at home in the beginning.

“So that’s it. I think it’s really clear. We are really anxious playing, especially at home.

“And we are suffering goals and then it’s really hard. So I think it’s clear for everybody that it’s getting harder to play at Old Trafford.”