Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has voiced a stark warning, admitting he is 'afraid' his team could slide back into the dismal form of last season following a damaging home defeat.
A Costly Defeat at Old Trafford
The Red Devils suffered a 1-0 loss to Everton at Old Trafford on Monday night, a result that extends their winless run to three matches. The defeat was particularly galling as United failed to capitalise on a second-half implosion from the visitors, which saw Everton's Idrissa Gueye sent off for striking his own teammate, Michael Keane.
This loss was a significant blow for a team that had appeared to be turning a corner under their new Portuguese coach. Instead of moving into the coveted Champions League places with a victory, United now sit in 10th position in the Premier League table.
Amorim's Fear of Regression
In a candid post-match assessment, Amorim revealed his deep-seated concern that the club is not yet equipped to compete at the highest level and could be on the verge of repeating past mistakes. He directly challenged the recent praise his team had received over a promising five-week period.
'We are not there, not even near the point that we should be to fight for the best positions in the league,' Amorim stated bluntly. 'These five weeks everyone is praising our evolution. I'm always saying the same things. We are not even near what the moment we're supposed to be in this club. I feel afraid of returning to this feeling of last season. That is my biggest concern.'
A Call for More Fight
The United boss pointed to the evident passion and fight within the Everton camp, even during their internal conflict, as something his own squad lacked on the night. Amorim reframed the on-pitch argument between Keane and Gueye not as a negative, but as a sign of commitment he wants to see from his players.
'Fighting is not a bad thing,' he explained. 'Fighting doesn't mean that they don't like each other. Fighting is that you lose the ball, I will fight you because we will suffer a goal. That was my feeling when I watched. I hope my players, when they lose the ball, they fight each other. That is a good feeling, not a bad feeling.'
While acknowledging his team's frustration, Amorim vowed that they would improve. 'Again, my players show in many games that we can do it. Today, we didn't. We are going to be better in the future. Today, we are really frustrated. We have training tomorrow and we are going to prepare for the next one.'
