Ruben Amorim responds to the Liverpool manager by saying, “I don’t care what Slot is saying.”
Ruben Amorim has made it clear that he does not pay attention to Arne Slot’s perceived remarks regarding Manchester United’s approach during their recent 2-1 win over Liverpool last Sunday.
The coach of Liverpool mentioned United’s use of a “low block” and “long balls” following United’s first win at Anfield since 2016. Slot aimed to highlight that his words were intended as praise when he spoke on Friday. Shortly thereafter, Amorim reacted to the Dutch coach’s earlier statements. “I am not concerned with what Slot is expressing, nor what others say about our team,” he remarked.
“I can observe the match and acknowledge that we can improve and must enhance our performance in the future, but at times adjustments need to be made based on the game. Therefore, I don’t require anyone to assess my team. I can do that myself, and I am very certain that we need to perform better with the ball, and we will strive to achieve that in this match.
Bruno Fernandes is set to make his 300th match appearance for United when Brighton comes to Old Trafford this Saturday, and Amorim was inquired about who, aside from the captain, upholds the standards that the club expects. “Harry Maguire. Diogo Dalot aims to do that,” he responded. “Luke Shaw can demonstrate this at times through his focus while playing. I believe Nous [Mazraoui] makes a positive contribution. Licha [Lisandro Martínez] is really valuable in this regard.
Winning against Liverpool indicates that United has achieved back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time under Amorim. “It largely relates to the mindset,” the Portuguese coach explained when questioned about the success. “I’m not suggesting that my players lack the desire to win or put in the effort, but we must sometimes push ourselves to handle the fundamentals, especially when matches become challenging. If you observe Brighton and their style of play, every team that applied more pressure encountered difficulties, yet they succeeded. We need to be ready—not only against the leading teams but also against other strong opponents.
Fernandes transferred to Manchester United from Sporting for £46. 5 million in January 2020 and has emerged as one of the few consistently outstanding contributors to the team over the years. The 31-year-old contemplated a move to Al-Hilal during the summer after the Saudi club extended a £100 million bid for his services but chose to stay at Old Trafford following discussions with his family and Amorim. Speaking prior to his significant match for United, the Portuguese player, whose contract is set to conclude in June 2028, emphasized that he would revisit conversations about his future only after the World Cup taking place next summer.
“I’ve heard many individuals claiming that I’ve already made an arrangement to leave for next season. If such an agreement exists, it wasn’t established with me,” stated Fernandes. “I have not communicated with anyone on this matter. I could inform you that there are still individuals reaching out to me expressing their strong desire to have me next year, for sure. However, from my perspective, that topic has not been discussed. My agent is also aware of my approach, so if he wants to have a conversation with me, it will be after the World Cup. Until then, I will not engage in discussions with anyone.
Fernandes expressed that Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who joined United during the summer transfer window, possess the type of traits the club needs. He then praised their additional new teammates Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens. “Having strong personalities is essential because merely being skilled players isn’t sufficient in light of the expectations at this club,” the captain remarked.
“Cunha exhibits a healthy confidence that enables him to perform well. Bryan shares that same mentality. He isn’t hesitant to take possession of the ball and execute his game. We welcomed two players who were familiar with the Premier League beforehand. Additionally, we acquired a young goalkeeper [Lammens] and a forward who quickly adapted [to the team]. We acknowledge that Ben will be evaluated based on his goal-scoring ability. However, beyond that, he has been performing exceptionally. He has already scored some goals as well.
At times, I feel frustrated with [Mbeumo] during practice since he tends to take an extra touch. I tell him, ‘Bryan, that’s unnecessary. You can take one touch and then shoot because you have the capability. You demonstrated that ability against us when you played for Brentford. You simply need to do it for us now. The jersey may be different, but you are still the same player, and we require that from you.
