Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim admitted his side were undone by avoidable goals as they slipped to a 3-0 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola, before the game, was confident that his team has always been better than Manchester United and his players duly delivered. Softfootball reported that Phil Foden opened the scoring with a first-half header before Erling Haaland struck twice after the break to seal victory for Pep Guardiola’s men. While City showed their usual clinical edge, Amorim was left frustrated by United’s defensive lapses.
Speaking after the game, as quoted by Manchester United’s official website, Ruben Amorim believed that the major difference between the two teams was just how careless his players were defensively.
He Said:
If you look at the goals, we can avoid those goals. That was the biggest difference. We can do better, especially the second goal. We suffered goals we can avoid. The biggest difference was when we had transitions, we didn’t score. In the second half they did better in transition and we suffered in that moment.
We can do better, that is clear but again transitions, the third goal, lack of quality in the connection, people don’t know who is going to the ball and then the guy is free to score. The first one he [Doku] is in the middle of four guys and we can be aggressive in that moment. Of course in this moment it bounces and goes to Foden.
In the second half, we started really well and then to suffer that kind of goal with the throw-in because we want to recover the ball so fast when we have to cover the space and then run to press, we let two players one against one, Leny [Yoro] is going from outside and not inside and then small pass, small run and Haaland scores. We then had the opportunity to open the game with Bryan [Mbeumo], great save from the opponent [Donnarumma] – all these small details make the difference.
Manchester United also posted a post-match video on the team’s official X account, where a clearly livid Ruben Amorim was clear that the team still has a lot to improve upon.
Watch the video below:
United had moments to change the game. Bryan Mbeumo saw a second-half effort saved brilliantly, while substitute Amad Diallo offered energy on the wing. Yet Amorim admitted that his side lacked the composure and sharpness needed in transitions.
He added:
In these kind of games, we need to be perfect and in this game we were not perfect. The frustration is always the same because of the amount of chances we need to score goals. We need to work on a lot of things for the next game. In these kind of games, with top teams, the small margins will make the difference. The performance is not good, in certain moments they were better than us and in the end you don’t have a good feeling.
The coach also dismissed suggestions that United’s midfield setup was the root of the problem, and despite the setback, he praised his players’ work rate.
He stated:
It’s the same thing, it’s always the same conversation. They [City] put four in the middle, we have three central defenders and two midfielders. You can see Bryan [Mbeumo] is always inside and [Benjamin] Sesko is there, so that conversation is always the same thing. We play last year the same way – of course with difference because the opponent is playing in a different way against Liverpool, against all these teams in the same way.
So it’s not the midfielders because, again, if you feel that what you are going to do in the first goal has to do with the amount of midfielders. Doku receives the ball, turns to the defence and then takes two guys inside the box. Then the second half, we start really well with two midfielders. You are near the box controlling the game and then throw-in, goal. Third goal, you are controlling the game, trying to open the game, Bryan has a great opportunity, Amad is pushing on the side, we had some distraction with going to the ball, Haaland has all the field to run so it’s not to do with the midfielders.
It’s the way you want to see the games. I saw a lot of teams playing here [at the Etihad Stadium] with five midfielders just blocking and they suffer more than us. I see a lot of games from Manchester United playing here with a lot of midfielders. Opportunities sometimes with one, two, so it’s not about that. Again, sometimes we play with the three defenders, five defenders, sometimes it’s five midfielders or two midfielders. It depends on the game of the opponent.
I’m not happier. I didn’t see one player of my team not giving the maximum. The rest is with me. The disappointment sometimes is I look at my team and I feel we could run more, but I didn’t have that feeling today. If I have that feeling, I will be okay. I’m emotional when I feel that we can do better in effort. It’s my fault, not their fault and I am fine with that. When I don’t do, it’s my fault, it’s not their fault, so I will be fine with that, so sometimes I’m emotional, sometimes I just move on and go to the next game.
I know it’s hard on our fans, but again, I cannot point to one player [about lack of] effort. With game intelligence, a lot of things, yes we can improve but that is my fault and we can improve.
United now face the challenge of regrouping quickly as they continue their bid to close the gap on the Premier League’s top teams. For Amorim, the derby showed progress in some areas but also underlined the fine margins that separate his side from Guardiola’s gladiators.
