Ruben Amorim delivered a scathing assessment of his Manchester United squad following their dismal 2-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The loss marks the eighth for the Portuguese manager since his arrival at Old Trafford, a stark statistic compounded by a potentially serious injury to key defender Lisandro Martinez.
Jean-Philippe Mateta struck twice in the second half to secure the Eagles’ victory, leaving United fans reeling.
Amorim’s tactical gamble of deploying Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine spectacularly backfired, with the Red Devils managing only two shots on target throughout the game.
The introduction of Eberechi Eze for Palace proved decisive, with the midfielder playing a crucial role in both of Mateta’s goals.
The match took a darker turn when Martinez was stretchered off the field with a suspected leg injury. Visibly distressed, the Argentine defender left the pitch in tears, casting a pall over the already dejected United faithful.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Amorim did not mince his words. “The result is really bad. The performance was a little bit better than the last games. We controlled the transitions quite well for Crystal Palace. We suffered two goals that we can avoid and the injury on Lisandro Martinez was tough for the team,” he said.
Amorim expressed serious concerns about Martinez’s condition, stating, “We are going to see in the next days but I think it is a serious situation. He is not only a great player but a strong character in the dressing room. He felt it and when you are a player, you know when it is something serious.”
While acknowledging the fans’ frustration, Amorim called for unity and focus on the upcoming fixtures.
“It’s normal for the fans to feel negative, it is a hard season for them but football can change in certain moments. I will prepare the next game and move forward. Better things will come,” he added.
Despite the club’s recent signing of Patrick Dorgu, Amorim insisted his immediate priority is the FA Cup fourth-round clash against Leicester City on Friday.
“That is with a lot of people in the club, I focus on the next game,” he told Match of the Day. “During the game, I felt that the team did some things well. We suffered two goals that we can avoid, which is really disappointing today.”
The manager highlighted the team’s improved possession and chance creation, but lamented their inability to convert those opportunities.
“We had more possession, more connections, we created chances but we couldn’t score and that was the difference today,” he explained.
Amorim dismissed suggestions of a toxic atmosphere within the squad, but conceded that playing at Old Trafford has become a challenge due to the pressure to please the home crowd.
“I didn’t feel that but it is difficult to play here because we want to please our fans. This season is going to be like that, I said it since the first day,” he concluded.
