“Never nice”: United star hits back at Amorim’s blunt assessment of his performances after Newcastle win

Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu believes he has responded well to Ruben Amorim’s “anxiety” jibe and criticism of his performances. This comes after Dorgu’s excellent display in United’s 1-0 victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day. Dorgu impresses vs. Newcastle United clinched all three points against Newcastle at Old Trafford thanks to Dorgu’s stunning 24th-minute volley. In what was his first goal for United since joining in January, Dorgu fired a blistering strike into the back of the net after he picked out Nick Woltemade’s looped header from Diogo Dalot’s throw-in into the box. Plucked out of the air by Patrick 😮‍💨 🤝 @RemingtonUK #PlayWithStyle pic.twitter.com/4szFdtQgXD — Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 27, 2025 But it wasn’t just his goal, Dorgu was dangerous, especially in the first half, in a largely unfamiliar right-wing position. He came close again at the stroke of half-time but couldn’t quite find the back of the net. He was equally impactful at the other end of the pitch while Newcastle were pushing for an equaliser and applying pressure on United. After the final whistle, Amorim hailed Dorgu, insisting the game was tailor-made for his attributes. It marked a welcome departure from Amorim’s criticism of the Dane a few weeks ago, when the United head coach suggested Dorgu radiates anxiety when on the ball. Since then, Dorgu assisted Matheus Cunha’s goal against Aston Villa and of course, got on the score sheet vs. the Magpies. Dorgu spoke to reporters after the final whistle and revealed that while Amorim’s comments were not nice to hear, he took them in stride and believes he has delivered a firm response. Dorgu hits back The 21-year-old said [as quoted by the Manchester Evening News], “Of course it’s never nice to get criticism, but you will always get it as a player. And you need to react well to it, and I think I’ve reacted well in the last couple of games.” “The manager spoke about my confidence a few weeks ago, so I just looked inside and tried to understand what he meant. And I just tried to build myself up.” Dorgu divulged that he consulted club captain Bruno Fernandes and other members of the leadership group for guidance. “My teammates help me as well. I spoke to Bruno [Fernandes] and some of the leader group in my team. They just try to help me on a daily basis to grow in confidence in training and stuff.” “We have players at AFCON and injured players, so this is my chance to show I belong in this team, and I feel like I’m doing it in the last couple of games, so I just need to keep going and try to keep the manager happy.” On playing in a more advanced position, Dorgu said, “I’ve done that in my old team as well, so it’s nothing new to me. I’m just happy to score the goal. I’ve been training to shoot more in the games and I think I hit it really well. I’m really happy that it went in. I knew already a few days ago [about playing on the right], so I just tried to remember how to play there.” “I’ve been training to shoot more in the games and I think I hit it really well. I’m really happy that it went in. I knew already a few days ago [about playing on the right], so I just tried to remember how to play there.” Dorgu and United return to action on Tuesday when they host Wolverhampton Wanderers. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!