Ruben Amorim attended the pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League Matchday 20 away trip to Leeds United.
Leeds striker Calvert-Lewin is in blistering form, scoring 7 goals in 7 games. Did you consider signing him in the summer window?
No, we had our own transfer targets and have been working to deliver those plans.
You recently mentioned changing your tactical system and said you’ve come to realise a 3-4-3 formation actually requires a host of top-class players, which seems unachievable. Why didn’t you see this at the start of your tenure? Can you elaborate?
No, I don’t want to discuss this topic. I’m only focused on the game against Leeds United.
It’s interesting that you seem to be dodging this question.
Yes.
Do you regret making those comments?
No, I’m not going to talk about this any further.
Let me rephrase then. People are confused by your comment that it took a year to realise you need top players. Was it a change in budget, different messages from the hierarchy, or discussions with technical director Jason Wilcox that shaped your judgment?
I’m not going to expand on it, but that’s a sharp question.
Fans are often frustrated with some substitutions, especially at home, where they might expect more adventurous tweaks – this has always been part of the club’s history, not just in the Ferguson era, the spirit of gambling and taking risks is ingrained here. What’s your view on this? Have you reflected on being more bold in certain games?
No, first and foremost: we create more chances and score more goals than almost every team – that’s a fact. Secondly, I know this squad better than anyone. Fans question decisions sometimes, but you have to stick with your judgment, even if it’s hard for them to understand. When I watch the game, I can clearly see which player is exhausted, which one will struggle if they keep facing 1v1 duels. All my adjustments are to protect the team and win the game. Sometimes substitutions work perfectly, sometimes they don’t, but I always give my all. As you just mentioned – I think only one team has scored more goals than us? We create a huge number of chances and lead the league in shots on goal. If there’s an improvement from last season, I’d say our attacking play has lifted, but our defensive organisation still needs to be better.
You stated only one team has scored more than us and we have the most shots. The biggest difference this season vs last is in attack. Do you think defensive organisation is in urgent need of improvement?
Regarding squad depth, our squad size for a single competition this season is indeed leaner than for multi-competition campaigns. But that’s not an excuse. The key issue is the simultaneous absence of Amad, Brian Mbemba and especially Bruno Fernandes – our main chance creators. Any team would struggle without these three players. We’ve also been affected in set-piece situations. Everything is interconnected, and fortunately, they are all set to return soon. It’s crucial to understand why our chance creation has dropped in the last two or three games.
What about Mason Mount?
This isn’t aimed at everyone. I’m referring to those three players with the data to back it up – you can all see they create the vast majority of our chances. If you lose all three, not just one, the team will obviously struggle. We also have to consider set-pieces: who takes them? All these factors link together, and we need to face reality. The good news is all three are close to coming back. The key is understanding why we’ve had issues with creativity and game quality in the last two or three games, and I think the reason is clear.
One final transfer question. You said no players have asked to leave in January. If a player departs this month, would you demand an immediate replacement?
As you said, the possibility of departures with our current squad situation is extremely low. These matters need to be discussed with Jason Wilcox.
Goals have improved significantly this season, clearly thanks to the three top attackers signed in the summer. Can this be interpreted as: attack has improved due to investment, while progress in other positions has been limited by lack of investment?
With the players we have, we could have done better defensively – for example, avoiding the stoppage-time goal in the first half against Wolves, which changed the game’s momentum. More goals stem from increased creativity due to the squad’s characteristics, but defending is not just the defenders’ responsibility; it requires the entire team’s defensive awareness and pressing intensity. I firmly believe we can improve in this area without any additional investment.
