Ruben Amorim has hit back at Wayne Rooney after Manchester United were knocked out of the FA Cup on penalties by Fulham, defending his ambition of winning the Premier League in the long term. Rooney, United’s record goalscorer, had called Amorim naive for stating after the defeat that the club’s goal is to win the league.
Speaking after the match, Amorim said: “Being naive is to think we are going to do it this season or be the best contender next season. So I know that at this moment everybody knows everything. I know that and it’s really easy – I was a pundit when I finished my career. I know it’s really easy. Our goal is to win the Premier League. Maybe it is not with me. But our goal, as a club, the board, is to win the Premier League like we did in the past with all the great glories and legends of this club and we will want to do better and we are in a difficult moment. And I’m not naive, that’s why I’m here, at 40 years old, coaching Manchester United.”
Rooney, working as a BBC pundit, had said: “I think it’s a little naive to say they’re looking to win the Premier League because from where they are now, they’re a long way off that.”
The match saw Calvin Bassey give Fulham the lead just before half-time, before Bruno Fernandes equalised in the second half. The game went to penalties, where Victor Lindelöf and Joshua Zirkzee saw their spot-kicks saved by Bernd Leno, sending Fulham through to a quarter-final against Crystal Palace.
Amorim also defended goalkeeper André Onana, who was criticised for delaying a goal-kick in the 78th minute rather than quickly launching an attack. “It is also frustration for André, he is trying to read the team,” Amorim said, noting that United had played midweek with 10 men after Patrick Dorgu’s red card. “Our team was so tired, we played the last game with one less player in the second half and he is using that time to rest a bit for us to go for the second goal.”
Fulham manager Marco Silva praised his goalkeeper: “Bernd Leno [is] one of the best in the Premier League in my opinion.” Meanwhile, United defender Harry Maguire is an injury concern after being forced off during the match.
