“It is not an excuse:” Ruben Amorim pulled no punches in scathing critique of his players following 1-1 draw with West Ham

It was a frustrating evening at Old Trafford as Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Premier League strugglers West Ham United. While Man United went into the match with all the momentum following a 2-1 away win over Crystal Palace, they failed to build on this form, despite dominating the flow of play for the duration of the game. Following this frustrating match, a visibly disappointed Ruben Amorim explained exactly where he believes his team went wrong during this frustrating encounter. Ruben’s take “It was not constant. We had good moments, and we lost a little bit of control after the goal,” Amorim explained in his post-match TV interview with Sky Sports. “We should have closed the game when we scored the first one. The game was in control; we knew it. Any set pieces can be a problem. We couldn’t maintain the ball after the goal.” Clearly, Amorim is aware that while United have improved at defending against corners, they haven’t perfected this craft yet. “Losing second balls, running with the ball, they were winning the first ball. We can control that kind of game. We should be better with the ball after the first goal.” Still, Amorim’s critique didn’t end there. Calling out his players The interviewer pointed out that a bright spot in the match was Diogo Dalot’s goal, especially since it was his first at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Still, Amorim was unwilling to show any satisfaction, declaring, “It’s a goal, we draw, it doesn’t matter.” When the subject of substitutions came up, Amorim refused to provide his players with any excuses, even if the replacements hadn’t yet adjusted to the match due to entering the match late. “It is not an excuse. Players change, but we know what to do. We need to close the game,” he explained, refusing to shift his attention away from what he viewed as United’s focal problem. Despite facing a weak Wolverhampton Wanderers side next Monday night, Amorim refused to underestimate his team’s opponents. “Everything is important, every game is important. We need to win the next one.” It was refreshing to see Amorim hold his players to a high standard, refusing to give in to any excuses. It was also important that he refused to shrug off the likes of Wolves, knowing full well how United dropped points tonight, as well as against Everton two matches ago. This approach will be crucial as the Premier League approaches the business end of the season. Featured image Justin Setterfield 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 Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.