Rory McIlroy has admitted he has not watched Manchester United play live since their Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao, delivering a stark assessment of the club's current standing. The Northern Irish golfer appeared on the Stick to Football podcast, where Gary Neville introduced him as a "big fan" before asking for his thoughts on the team.
McIlroy said: "The last game I went to watch live was that Europa League final in Bilbao. I was sitting there going: 'What did you expect? It's the 16th and 17th team in the Premier League, of course it was going to be like this.' But it's better. They look good going forward, but they're still fragile at the back, conceding four goals at home on Monday. I'm much more optimistic than I would have been 12 months ago, but I still think there's a lot of work to be done."
The Open champion last paraded a trophy at Old Trafford in 2014, when he showed off the Claret Jug during Louis van Gaal's first match in charge, a 2-1 defeat to Swansea City. Following his Masters victory in April, there was speculation that McIlroy might return with the Green Jacket. Asked if he would, he replied: "If I can inspire some better play, absolutely."
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim extended an open invitation in a video message recorded at Carrington, saying: "Hi Rory. Congratulations for The Masters, and I want to invite you to Old Trafford to show your trophy. It is really important to us in this moment. You achieved something that a lot of people thought would be impossible, and we want that feeling in our stadium. So, I hope to see you soon at Old Trafford and to meet you." So far, that meeting has not taken place.
Speaking to The Sun after winning Sports Personality of the Year, McIlroy joked that he might bring the trophy to Old Trafford "as long as they stop conceding four goals at home." He added: "They're getting better, there are a few encouraging signs, there's a little bit of optimism around." Despite his caution, he acknowledged the team's improvement but stressed that significant progress is still needed.
