Every word from Ruben’s presser

Sunday 02 February 2025 17:59

Ruben Amorim felt there were marginal improvements from his side against Crystal Palace, but admitted those small increments count for nothing in the midst of defeat.

United were condemned to a 2-0 defeat courtesy of a second-half brace from in-form Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta, despite the Reds having much of the possession and chances to net themselves – particularly early on in both halves.

But we faced an uphill task from 64 minutes onwards, when Mateta netted the visitors’ first and set them on the way to victory.

Amorim faced the media in the aftermath of the defeat, addressing questions around our performance, the plight of Lisandro Martinez, transfer rumours and more.

Every word from the boss in his post-match press conference is available to read below…

Amorim on Rashford rumours Video

Amorim on Rashford rumours

Ruben Amorim speaks to the press about the Rashford rumours, struggling for goals and the Martinez prognosis…

That felt like a damaging day, both the defeat and Lisandro Martinez’s injury…

“Yes, hard day for the team, for the fans, we lose again. We improve in some areas of the game, we controlled better the game, we had more possession, we had situations, but, in the end, we suffered two goals that we can avoid. And Licha is really important for us, not just as a football player but the character that he has, especially in the hard moments. So now it’s time for us to help Licha like he is doing for so long.”

How severe does it look?

“I think it’s a bad situation. Let’s wait to assess things with the doctor, but I think it’s a serious situation.”

Ruben, the team haven’t scored in nine games this season, still minus goal difference, two strikers are on the bench today. Do you feel let down by the hierarchy here that they’ve not brought in a goalscorer yet?

“No, no. But things are not like that. Today, we choose to play with Kobbie [Mainoo] to use the characteristics of Kobbie. It’s not nothing against Rasmus or Josh. And, sometimes, the team scores goals by creating situations, to use the right characteristics. It doesn’t mean if you play with two strikers you are going to score more goals. So I think it’s a problem for the team and we have spoken about that all the time. We need to improve our performance in every aspect of the game, especially scoring goals.

Ruben, that’s another home defeat. Every time you come in here, you have to come in here and explain it and I guess we go away and think it will improve. But it doesn’t seem to improve. Why not?

“I think the performance improve, not a lot, but I think we play better than the other games. Even against Southampton, I think we play better today. But of course, when you continue to lose, especially at home, you have that feeling that it means nothing, the small improvement of the team. So let’s go again and see the next game.”

Ruben reacts to Palace defeat Video

Ruben reacts to Palace defeat

Ruben Amorim on the performance, Licha’s injury and next steps, after United lose at home to Palace…

Ruben, how much do you need some help on deadline day, how much do you need to get someone through the door to help you offensively in this window before the window closes?

“We are trying everything to improve the team without doing mistakes of the past, and trying to balance the urgency of the moment, so we know all the aspect of our club in the moment, but we are trying everything.”

Does Marcus Rashford going out help you in that respect?

“We will see, there is one more day, let’s wait until the window is closed.”

Ruben, you’ve been very clear on the Marcus situation, about your standards and what you expect. But if he goes to Aston Villa and scores a lot of goals at a time when this United team can’t score goals, is there not a real danger that that looks quite humiliating for the football club and a problem for you?

“Humiliating?”

Embarrassing for the club.

“It’s not embarrassing. When you loan a player, and I don’t know, I think it’s not official, when you loan a player, you expect him to play and to improve, so it’s nothing humiliating there. I understand the question but Im just focused on my players, that’s all. So when the window closes, I will be really focused on just our team and to improve our team.”

Hi, Ruben. I appreciate everything you’ve said about the forward line and trying to bring someone in, but I think it’s only four teams that have scored fewer goals than Manchester United in the Premier League this season. Can you really afford not to bring anyone in by the deadline? Because if you don’t get anybody in, there’s no evidence here to suggest that the goals are going to come from anywhere.

“Yeah, we have to improve as a team to score goals, and we are trying the best to improve the team. This market is really hard on the clubs, to make some deals here, it’s hard. Then you have this urgency, sometimes when you are in this moment, you make some mistakes, we are trying everything. We want so bad to improve, I want so bad to improve the team, I know what the team needs, but sometimes it’s possible or not, but we are trying everything.”

Hi, Ruben. There are reports about Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich. Would he be someone that could improve the team?

“Like I said, when the window has closed, we will see the players, I am focused to improve the team as a group. We need to win more games, we will try to do that, this season is like that. We need to win, small improvements, try to win points, give winning momentum, then we have setbacks and then we go again. But I think it’s clear that we need to improve.”

Every word from Ruben’s presser