Ruben: We can win any game in the Premier League

Ruben: We can win any game in the Premier League

Ruben Amorim said his team’s performance against Arsenal proved that Manchester United have the qualities to beat any side we come up against this term.

The Reds were beaten in our maiden outing of the 2025/26 Premier League season, but could easily have come away with another result, with positives to take from our display, including plenty of chance-creation and sparks of encouragement from summer signings Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo on their full debuts for the club.

Riccardo Calafiori’s header within the opening quarter of an hour of the first half was enough to win it for the away side despite the pressure we applied for much of the game thereafter, with David Raya pulling off a number of saves in both halves, and Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu perhaps going closest when he struck a post in the first half.

In his post-match press conference, Amorim was asked about his team’s display, the goalkeeping situation, the absent Rasmus Hojlund and more, by the media.

Watch the boss’s reaction, or read his quotes in full, below…

Watch Ruben’s press conference Video

Ruben Amorim takes questions from journalists after United’s defeat to Arsenal at Old Trafford…

Ruben, could you talk us through the goal from your perspective because Altay Bayindir seemed to get trapped and he couldn’t get out.

“I think you can watch the goal. I think it’s allowed, to do a lot of things, in the corners. We need to do the same. But when you touch that way, the goalkeeper, he needs to use his hand to catch the ball, not to push the players, or he chooses to push players and let the ball pass. But, again, it’s the rules, if it’s allowed, we need to do the same thing.”

Are you saying that he should have acted differently in that moment?

“No, no, no. I’m saying that you choose to push a player or to get the ball in that moment, so he chooses to get the ball but he’s getting pushed, so he cannot defend it himself. That is my feeling when I see the play but, again, we need to do the same.”

Ruben, did you give any consideration to starting Tom Heaton ahead of Altay, because he’s conceded goals similar to that before?

“Why?”

I think a lot of people might argue that Tom’s a better keeper than him, more experience in the Premier League.

“But, he suffered a goal like this when?”

Tottenham, last season.

“Without VAR. Without VAR. With VAR, it’s a foul. And then, what happens in the next game?”

May I ask…

“What happen in the next game?”

At Wolves?

“No, no, no. Not at Wolves.”

Arsenal?

“The next one [that Altay played], Arsenal. Who saves the penalty, who saves the game, all the game?”

But that was a penalty.

“No, no, no, before the penalty. You don’t remember the game? I remember the game.”

Yes, he saved a penalty.

“Altay was unbelievable in that game. So I considered everything to put one or another, and I choose Altay.”

You’re obviously frustrated at the result, but in terms of the performance, you must have seen quite a lot of progress and feel quite positive just in terms of the actual display from the players.

“Yeah, it’s that feeling that it’s… We play better, we were the better team, but we lose the game. But I’m really proud of the work that they put on the field and that is important to move forward.”

Ruben, so you dropped Andre Onana from the whole squad, does that mean you’re after a new goalkeeper and also…

“Sorry *Shakes head* Sorry?”

So you’re not after a new goalkeeper?

“No, no, no, I didn’t drop Onana from the squad, I didn’t drop one of the other two from the squad. So it’s not the case of dropping Onana, it’s not putting Andre Onana with just one week [of training], without seeing a game, without time with training. And like you say, guys, like Tom and Altay during the pre-season, they did a good job.”

So just to ask a broader question, do you have no concern about the three goalkeepers, these are your three goalkeepers for the season?

“I think we prove today that we can win any game in the Premier League, especially against a great team like Arsenal and we were the better team. So I’m happy with the the players.”

So just to answer my question, are you happy with the three goalkeepers?

“I’m happy with the three goalkeepers.”

Hi, Ruben. Just another question about the squad, if you don’t mind. No Rasmus Hojlund today. Can we interpret that as the club telling him…?

“No, it’s a fight for the places, we’ll see what is going to happen on the market, different characteristics. So Rasmus has the same characteristics of Benjamin Sesko, so sometimes we need to choose.”

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