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Friday 07 February 2025 23:59
Ruben Amorim is refusing to buy into any media narrative of the Emirates FA Cup saving Manchester United’s season, insisting he’s more concerned with the team’s current performances.
The competition has famously come to the Reds’ rescue in the past, most notably in 1989/90 when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side won it – his first trophy as United manager – after finishing 13th in the league.
More recently, Louis van Gaal and Erik ten Hag steered their sides to FA Cup glory, having posted final league positions of fifth and eighth respectively.
But Amorim dismissed the notion, put to him by ITV reporter Gabriel Clarke, after United’s 2-1 win, that it was vital to find the club’s fighting cup spirit at the death against Leicester City and remain on the road to Wembley.
He was much more concerned with how his team played on the night, admitting they had actually performed better in last weekend’s defeat to Crystal Palace.
You can watch his interview with MUTV below, or scroll down to read his key comments to ITV…
Amorim: How we won the tie Video
Amorim: How we won the tie
INTERVIEW | Ruben explains how changes in the second half helped us come from behind against Leicester…
TIE WAS WON IN “FERGIE TIME”?
“We have to believe it until the end but this has nothing to do with the time of Fergie. I think we have to do so much better, with the ball, without the ball. We didn’t have any energy in the beginning, especially in the first half. Then in the second half, we played a little bit better with a little bit more speed and winning second balls. Then we managed to turn things around and it was a good result but not a good performance.”
THE PLAYERS, THE SYSTEM OR THE COACH?
“It’s everything. The coach is the first one responsible. When a team doesn’t perform and doesn’t improve, it’s the coach. But we are here to see the game, study the game and try to improve for the next game.”
POSSESSION, NOT POSITIONS, IS THE ISSUE
“I don’t agree [we improved because Alejandro Garnacho went to his ‘normal’ position.] Garnacho sometimes changed positions with [Diogo] Dalot – Dalot played more inside, then Garnacho outside. If you see the games, sometimes it’s just the control of the ball, to have the ball, and not give the ball away in the first pressure. It’s the small things, the big things, it’s everything.”
NOT ABOUT THE CUP SAVING OUR SEASON
“I cannot focus just on saving the season with the momentum of the [FA] Cup. That’s not the way I see football, it’s not the way I see Manchester United.
“It’s everything, it’s the performance, it’s the result. I’m not thinking about the end of the season now, because the final is at the end of the season. I don’t care about that, I care about the moment.
“The moment is clearly not good enough. It’s a good result. We move forward to the next stage. We have a week to prepare [for our next league game] but today was not a good day.”
United v Leicester – More reaction:
Friday 07 February 2025 23:59
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