Ruben Amorim says he will not bend to the will of “friends and the media” by selecting Manchester United Academy players and once again insisted “the system is not the problem”.
The Red Devils were dumped out of the FA Cup by Fulham on penalties on Sunday, leaving them with just the Europa League as a chance of silverware in another harrowing season for the club.
United were expected to improve under Amorim after he replaced Erik ten Hag in November, but their Premier League position hasn’t changed – they remain 14th – and the performances have if anything got worse as the players struggle to adapt to the Portuguese manager’s philosophy and his 3-4-3 formation.
But Amorim was adamant he wouldn’t change his style when he arrived at the club and has been true to his word, insisting once again in his press conference ahead of their trip to face Real Sociedad in the last-16 of the Europa League that he “will not change”.
He said: “I think the system is not the problem; it is the way of playing. We have a lot of problems and we are trying to work on the problems. Every system needs different characteristics. I am still really confident. I will not change that [my formation].”
UEFA rules state that teams can name 23-man squads in the Europa League, but Amorim has opted to take just 18 players with him to Spain amid an injury crisis.
He could have taken more members of the academy if he wanted to, but Amorim says he will select them just to pacify the media or their friends.
Amorim said: “I am trying to manage everything, it is a big step for them. I am trying to think about every aspect. I am not thinking about what it will look like with their friends and the media.”
Amorim is well aware of the importance of the Europa League in attracting top players and having the wherewithal to sign them, as it would grant them entry into the Champions League next season.
He added: “Because we are out of the cups that could change a lot of things. Manchester United can have the goal to have the best players in the future. I understand that the Europa League can change things.”
“If we win the Europa League, we will be in an amazing position next season.”
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Ally McCoist isn’t hopeful based on current form, claiming captain Bruno Fernandes is “the one player who turns up” for the Red Devils.
“I’m not sure they’ll go to the next round. Not on this form,” he told talkSPORT.
“Bruno Fernandes is the one player who turns up, you know, he’ll give you a goal, he’ll give you a freekick, he’ll give you something.
“But apart from that… I thought his goal [at] the weekend was a brilliant strike, I mean it was a tremendous goal, but he’s the only one.
“If you need something, there’s no one else. [Rasmus] Hojlund sadly looks lost, it’s horrible.”
