Ruben Amorim’s latest low-key jab at Man Utd is even harsher after their tough game against Brighton.
Ruben Amorim has taken a subtle jab at Manchester United’s players after his first loss as AC Milan’s head coach. Milan lost 2-0 at home to Benfica in their Europa League opener on Wednesday. This makes it three games in a row without a win, following draws against Juventus and Lazio in Serie A.
Amorim got praise early on for his playing style and tactics, but some Italian media pointed out Milan has struggled with consistency under him. After the Benfica loss, Amorim compared his current team at Milan to his time managing United.
He was sacked by United in January, less than a day after a press conference where he said he wanted to be “a manager, not a coach.” During his time at Old Trafford, people often criticized him for sticking with his 3-4-2-1 formation, but he’s kept using it at Milan.
Amorim explained that while he’s open to adjusting his tactics, he believes Milan’s players have better qualities than those he had at United. “At both Manchester United and Milan, there’s big pressure to win quickly, and I feel that pressure here too,” he said. “This team is a bit different — they’re used to playing with three defenders, and they’re faster and stronger. Of course, I don’t have the perfect players yet, but you can’t expect that when you join a new team right away.”
He also added, “My players listen to everything I say in training, and that gives me hope we can fix these issues.”
It’s interesting that Amorim made these remarks just after United let a two-goal lead slip against Brighton in the Carabao Cup. United didn’t bring in any new defenders this summer, so Michael Carrick inherited the same defense that Amorim left behind.
According to Sky Sports, United ranks 18th for sprints and 19th for high-speed runs in this Premier League season. They’ve earned only four points from four games and sit 14th in the table ahead of their trip to Fulham on Sunday — their last match before the international break.