“A manager who is losing more than the last one. I am fully aware of that. We need to survive this moment. We are the worst team, perhaps, in the history of Manchester United.”
“I know you want headlines, and I’m saying this because we have to recognize that and change that. Here are your headlines.”
In this way, Manchester United coach, Ruben Amorim, addressed journalists after Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat, on Sunday (19), to Brighton, in the English Championship (Premier League), at the Old Trafford stadium. , in Manchester.
Silently, the journalists were certainly grateful for the easy headline. Sports websites around the world highlighted this phrase, in which the 39-year-old Portuguese emphasizes his feeling that he is managing the worst Man United that has ever existed.
That has two Brazilians in the squad, both with a World Cup on their CV, both former São Paulo natives, both going through a terrible phase, constantly being in reserve.
Midfielder Casemiro, 32, has two World Cups of experience, Russia-2018 and Qatar-2020. When at Real Madrid (2015 to 2023), he was considered one of the top players in his position. At Man United, his performance fell precipitously, especially this season.
His situation is quite uncomfortable, as he has the highest salary in the squad, 350 thousand pounds (R$ 2.6 million) per week, the same as the Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Liverpool’s star goalscorer, receives.
Striker Antony, 24, went to the Qatar Cup as Raphinha’s substitute and participated in four of the five matches, including the elimination against Croatia on penalties. He was experiencing his best moment in England at the time.
Then, even having problems off the field, he declined. There are strong rumors that he will leave the club soon, on loan, going to Betis, in Spain.
Coach Amorim, who as a player played in midfield and defended Belenenses and Benfica, arrived at Man United in November, after winning the 2024 Portuguese Championship with Sporting and having, in the Champions League, won 4-1 against the popular Manchester City by Pep Guardiola.
Including the debut, a 1-1 against the fragile Ipswich, Man United has accumulated five wins, three draws and seven defeats across four competitions (Premier League, Europa League, FA Cup and English League Cup).
The team was eliminated in the League Cup and advanced on penalties in the FA Cup, after a 1-1 with Arsenal.
In the Premier League, which has 20 teams, the Red Devils, the biggest English winners (20 titles), are currently in 13th place, with 26 points – Liverpool (19 titles) lead with almost double that (50 points).
It’s been years – more precisely since the retirement in 2013 of Sir Alex Ferguson, who led the team to almost 40 titles in a span of 14 years – since Man United presented eye-catching football, with some short periods of exception.
However, Amorim’s statement, however sincere it may be, did not go down well with some analysts. Case of Jamie Carragher (former Liverpool defender), from CBS Sports.
“What Amorim said does not contribute to the confidence of the players. I don’t have much sympathy for them, they have been a joke in recent years. But, thinking about the coach, how can he go into the dressing room and try to give hope and motivation, convince them that they can win games, after saying they are the worst team in the club’s history?”
The reality is that Amorim’s condition, with just over two months in office, becomes more difficult every day.
He may not be managing the worst Man United in history – the club was founded in 1878 – but his average points per game (1.33) is the worst since Jimmy Murphy (0.83), the coach in 1958, who he lasted just 18 games, or three more than the Portuguese’s current 15.
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