Ruben Amorim has said that Sir Jim Ratcliffe was correct to criticise Manchester United players, saying he and they are “underperforming”.
Ratcliffe claimed on Monday that the squad was overpaid and not good enough, referencing Casemiro, Rasmus Højlund, André Onana, Antony and Jadon Sancho when doing so. Amorim was asked about the comments from the club’s co-owner.
The head coach said: “If we are being honest, in this moment, everybody, me, the players, are underperforming this season so we can always change that, so I include myself in the underperforming. You are talking about players like Casemiro that have won everything and we know these players can play so much better. He was honest in that. The focus is to change his mind and everybody’s.”
Amorim was asked whether any of the players Ratcliffe mentioned had spoken to him about it. When answering he referenced the Europa League last-16 second leg at home against Real Sociedad on Thursday – with the tie poised at 1-1 – and the need to respond in that.
“I think it is the right way to do it,” he said.
“If you are a top player or even me, a lot of people say I am not good enough for the club. You can change that with results. They want that really bad, especially tomorrow.”
Amorim also spoke about his relationship with Ratcliffe: “It has been really good since day one. We are really blunt and honest with each other; we are quite similar in that. I always felt the support of the board, especially Sir Jim. I cannot tell you the communications but they are simple and clear.”
Ratcliffe said this week that Amorim would be in charge for a long time. “I already knew that,” Amorim said. “All these conversations I already had with them [Ratcliffe and his advisers]. After matches, they went to the dressing room to say, but to say it publicly is really good for the coach.”
Mason Mount trained on Wednesday for the first time since sustaining an undisclosed injury that has ruled him out of the past 19 games. “Mason Mount is too soon,” Amorim said of the game on Thursday. “Leny [Yoro] is out. Harry Maguire cannot play this one but I hope to have him for Sunday [against Leicester]. Manu [Ugarte] is in the squad and I think there is no one else return. Yoro is not long term but he cannot play this game or the other one.”
