Every word: Ruben’s pre-Sunderland press conference

Every word: Ruben’s pre-Sunderland press conference

Ruben Amorim addressed journalists at Carrington on Friday, discussing Manchester United’s upcoming home Premier League fixture against Sunderland, as well as his latest thoughts on the team’s system.

United go into our seventh league game of the new campaign sitting 14th in the Premier League table, with two wins so far, both recorded at home – against Burnley and Chelsea – which should provide confidence going into this one.

However, Sunderland arrive with huge belief of their own, having earned 11 points already so far since their return to the top flight, a tally which has them sitting fifth.

Speaking to the press, United head coach Amorim considered the quality the Black Cats will offer, the job done there by manager Regis Le Bris, and the latest opinions about his own formation.

Read every word from the boss below.

Part one: Press conference v Sunderland Video

PRESS CONFERENCE | Ruben analyses Sunderland’s positive start and reflects on comments about United’s system…

First of all, your thoughts on the terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester yesterday…

“A crazy world, we are living in at the moment, a lot of these things are happening. Of course, our sympathy for the victims and we will pay tribute tomorrow, but it is a crazy world in this moment.”

Hi Ruben, the next challenge is Sunderland, give us your thoughts on what that challenge will be tomorrow?

“It’s going to be a really tough match, they are doing really well. And then, when you see the games, they draw with one less player in the final [moments] of the game, they draw, [get] one point, and then they win in the final play against Brentford, [to get] another three points. I think the details are changing the table a lot, so we need to pay attention to that. It’s a team that plays really well, it’s a clear 4-3-3 system with a lot of rotations in the side of the pitch. They are confident and they know that we are going to be under pressure and we need to be able to play with that and we are prepared for a tough, tough match.”

And just a comment on the job that Regis Le Bris has done and the start they’ve made under him…

“It’s not just the table and all the results, that’s what matters most in the end, but it’s the way they play, a clear identity. A very good manager and a very good team.”

Ruben, what are you seeing and feeling at the training ground that makes you think the team can start performing on a more consistent level?

“We already talked about that. We had some moments, if you see during these six games, during this season, we are not always the same team in the small things. More in the way we play, all the effort that we put [in], the maximum effort that we put in every single thing, is not the same in different matches. We have to find that balance, it will change everything for us.”

Some former players have been quite heavy in their criticism this week: Wayne Rooney saying ‘this is not Manchester United, the culture’s not right’ and Gary Neville criticising the system. Can that be quite hard to listen to?

“It’s normal. You cannot run away from the results. And then you have the baggage from last season, but last season, for me, doesn’t matter. In relation to this season, we already spoke about that. We’ve had six games this season and we lost three, and then we have to look to the games that we lost, if you lost against Arsenal because of the system? It’s your job to make the opinion. When you look at the game against City, was the first thing you think, when the game starts, the system? I think you don’t think about the system in that moment. And Brentford? I don’t look at the way we concede goals, the way we create chances. There is nothing to do with the system. That is my opinion. And I’m not saying that this team would play better in a different system or not, that is not my point. My point is that if I look at the games that we didn’t win, the most important thing when I watch the game is not that we lost the game because of the system. That is my opinion. Then people have different opinions and that is okay.”

Ruben, you spoke last season so much about the fans backing you. This season, that has gone now, they stayed with you and believed you when you said things will be better this season. What do you say to the fans to give them the belief that it will be better?

“It’s not time to say. It’s time to show. Again, I can look at the games this year and, for me, they are completely different. There are some things that are the same and that is nothing about the position on the pitch, the way we put the ball [in], it’s other things that we cannot change. We show that thing in certain games. In the other games, we are not the same team in some details. I have nothing to say in this moment. My job is to prepare the team and let’s go for the next game.”

Five glorious goals v Sunderland Video

Beckham, Cantona, Mkhitaryan, van Nistelrooy and Vidic all scored great goals v Sunderland – see how we ranked them…

I know we’ve asked you this a few times before. Do the players understand what you’re asking them because it did look as though last Saturday was very disjointed?

“It was. It was. It was. But again, you cannot say one thing that doesn’t work when it works on one weekend, and on the other weekend it doesn’t. When one thing doesn’t work, it doesn’t work every day. But when one thing works one day, and then another day doesn’t work, the other day works really well again, it’s something about the way we do the same thing. So we need to do the same thing in the same way every day and we are not doing that. That is my opinion. Some of you guys have a different opinion and that is okay.”

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