Ruben Amorim and Manchester United Aim to Convince Jim Ratcliffe Following Squad Criticism

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim acknowledged the critique from co-owner Jim Ratcliffe, who expressed his concerns about the squad’s quality, stating that some players are either not meeting expectations or are overvalued. However, Amorim made it clear on Wednesday that their aim is to alter this perception.

While Ratcliffe praised Amorim as an “outstanding young manager” destined for a long tenure at the club, he was notably critical of several players, particularly those acquired at high costs.

Currently positioned 14th in the Premier League and a staggering 36 points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, Amorim conceded that their performances deserved scrutiny.

“To be frank, right now, everyone — myself included, as well as the players — is not performing to the best of their abilities this season. We can turn this around, so I take responsibility for part of that ‘underperformance’,” Amorim told the media.

“Take someone like Casemiro, for example, who has won everything (with Real Madrid), and we all know he’s capable of better.

“The goal is to shift his perspective and to change the opinions of everyone involved.”

Despite the backlash, Amorim maintains a strong rapport with Ratcliffe, noting their candidness with one another. He also appreciated the public backing from the co-owner.

“It reflects our characters; we share similarities. I have always felt supported by the board, particularly by Sir Jim,” Amorim mentioned.

“We’ve had these discussions previously. After games, they’ve come to the dressing room to talk to me about these matters.

“For him to voice that support publicly is really beneficial for the coach. But I still maintain that we need to deliver results and enhance the squad.”

Manchester United is set to face Real Sociedad in the second leg of their Europa League Round of 16 tie on Thursday, following a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg in Spain.

Midfielder Mason Mount has returned to training after a muscle injury sidelined him since December, but Amorim indicated that it is too soon for Mount to feature in Thursday’s clash.

Manuel Ugarte is back in contention after missing the last two fixtures, but centre backs Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro will not be available for Thursday’s match. However, Amorim is hopeful Maguire will be fit for Sunday’s league game against Leicester City.

Amorim also revealed that United has plans for an “extraordinary stadium” that is expected to accommodate 100,000 fans at a cost of £2 billion, but he emphasized that his concentration remains firmly on the current season.

“That’s looking ahead, five years down the line,” he stated. “For now, we need to concentrate on the present, and I’m eager to achieve success at Old Trafford.”