Ruben Amorim accepts it was a risk to ‘hurt’ the squad during the winter transfer window but it was one worth taking with the focus so much on the future at Manchester United.

Although Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu and Ayden Heaven arrived at Old Trafford, the attacking options were hit by the loan departures of Antony and Marcus Rashford, to Real Betis and Aston Villa respectively.

Tyrell Malacia also departed on a temporary basis, to PSV Eindhoven, but Amorim has explained that it is important to look at the bigger picture.

In the embargoed section of his press conference to preview the Bournemouth game on Sunday, he also spoke about realising the fans’ backing will not continue if results do not improve and having no regrets about taking the job, while there was a humorous moment when he was asked about our standing in the table…

Obviously, you’ve been here a few months now and have seen the actual scale of the job so do you have any regrets, any doubts that maybe you took a job that is going to take years to get right?

“No. No regrets. Not in this moment. If you ask me, like four months ago, with all the problems maybe you feel that feeling I should be stronger in starting in the beginning of the season. But, today, I have that feeling that this is something that is going to help us in the future. We are suffering a lot here, there was a lot of frustration, a lot of suffering. But I feel, in this moment, maybe because it is in the end, I feel this is the most important time, maybe in the next few years, we are going to use all the information to prepare better for the next few years. So no regrets. I think this is one of the best, this is the top what a coach can achieve, so I have no regrets at all.”

One of the important things for any manager is to retain the support of not just the owners, but the fans so how valuable has that been for you that the supports have clearly supported you and stayed behind you?

“I think that is special but I also know that people understand what we are trying to do. But I also know that this moment, that without results and sometimes without performance, and still have that support from the fans, it will finish, maybe in the next season. So I am really appreciative of that but I really know that, in the future, that is going to finish if we don’t get results.”

You say you have no regrets but, over the past few months, have you had doubts about, for instance, the formation you want to play. Has there been a moment where you’ve thought actually these guys just can’t do it? And also, you said some time ago, it’s the worst team in United’s history, I’m sure you didn’t really mean it, but have the team actually got better or have they got worse?

“No. What I think when I say that is I said, in terms of the results, and I was saying when I arrived since now, maybe I’m the worst coach and we are the worst team that performs and has the worst results in the history of Manchester United. And that is clear. It’s a fact. I think we are improving, the way we play. I have no regrets joining Manchester. I have a lot of regrets, after one week, when we lose and I see the game. I have a lot of regrets in small things. So I’m always doubting what we did in the past, trying to improve. I’m not regretting about joining the club but, if you say, if you look at this last six months, I have a lot of regrets. I should be better in certain moments.”

There have been a lot people who have questioned your system, people much better qualified than me, they have questioned that whole idea. What do you say to those critics, the critics that know better than me?

“No, nothing, because I don’t like to defend myself. It is the results. I cannot defend myself with the results. I have one idea how to play. People see one system, I see one system that can adapt in different systems. I know it’s tough, I know it’s different but I have nothing to say with the critics because, if you look at the results, they are right. So I will expect that my results in the future speak for themselves.”

Part one: Press conference v Bournemouth Video

Press conference part one | Ruben answers questions on Diogo Dalot’s injury, Amad’s return, Matheus Cunha and more…

Is half of your challenge or problem that you can’t sit there and actually be honest because you have to protect your players so, therefore, you know a lot more of what the issues are and how to fix it but can’t say because of your job and needing to think of the team? Is it difficult to explain why you’re 14th in the league?

“Sorry, what is the question, more or less?”

Why are you so low in the league?

“So lonely? [laughs]”

So low!

“We like a lot of things in the team and then you never saw this in Manchester United but you saw it in big teams. We saw it with Milan in the past, with a lot of problems. Big teams that when you get in one context, it’s really hard, and then you understand that, in January, we lost and you are talking about Rashford and Antony, we lost these players. And we didn’t bring new ones. It was a risk but I think there are things here that are more important than to score 10 more goals this season. We are trying to do something more important. We can hurt the squad now but, in the future, it is going to help the club, so I think we are in that path.

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