Ruben Amorim says Manchester United’s recent improvement has not changed his view that the team remains well short of the level he expects, and he again rejected the idea that his use of a 3-4-3 system has been holding them back.
United went into the international break unbeaten in five league matches, a run that included a standout win over Liverpool and hard-fought draws away at Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.
The upswing eased some of the scrutiny that followed the side earlier in the season, yet Amorim believes those results simply highlighted how far his squad still has to go.
Speaking to Stan Sport, he pointed out that confidence has helped performances, but insisted the flaws remain obvious. “We are playing better, but we are playing better because we have more confidence, and that starts with good results, for example, against Liverpool,” he said.
“We are getting better, but I can share my feeling: when we finished the game against Tottenham and I was coming back to Carrington, I was watching the game and my feeling was frustration, that we are far from perfection.
“We are far from being that team that can win every game. So I think we have a lot to do, but I also have the feeling, and I’ve been saying this for many months, that the formation is not the problem.”
Ruben Amorim has had a turbulent first year at Manchester United but his team are starting to fire 👀
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Amorim argued that the system has been wrongly blamed. “The formation is the start of something, then it’s the dynamic, the confidence, the way we play, how competitive we are,” he said.
He stressed that United struggled this season not because of structure but because intensity dropped at key moments. “If you look at the games we struggled in this season, it was not about the formation for me. It was the lack of intensity. We need to be perfect in this league to win a lot of games.”
The manager’s comments come during a calmer period around the club, a stark contrast to the pressure he faced when United finished 15th last season and again earlier this campaign after a shock League Cup exit to League Two Grimsby Town.
Despite the criticism, Amorim has retained the backing of senior figures including co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, though he insists that support does not alter how he works.
“It’s always really important, but it’s more important for the fans to understand that we have a clear path, and we are going to do everything and continue that path no matter what,” he said.
“To be honest, it doesn’t change much for me, because I’m not worried about losing my job. I always have that feeling.
“But if you remember when Jim gave that interview, it settled down a lot around the club. The noise changed completely. That was really important for the team, and if it’s important for the team, it’s important for me.”
