Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has sympathised with Ruben Amorim following the 2-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, saying it has been a difficult phase for the Portuguese tactician.
Manchester United succumbed to a demoralizing 2-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at the Molineux Stadium on Boxing Day. Captain Bruno Fernandes received marching orders after picking up a second yellow card early in the second half (49′), leaving Man Utd with a mountain to climb. Down to 10 men, the Red Devils could not defend against Wolves’ onslaught and conceded through Matheus Cunha (58′) and Hwang Hee-chan (90+9′).
Roy Keane was right. Bruno Fernandes is the biggest problem of this club. pic.twitter.com/RbamzGdZ8g
— Rúben (fan)🇵🇹 (@AmorimReds_) December 26, 2024
The defeat left Manchester United in the 14th place in the Premier League rankings with 22 points. They are now closer to the relegation zone (8 points) than they are to the final Champions League qualification slot (11 points).
Harry Maguire Says It Has Been Tough on Manchester United Manager Ruben Amorim
Speaking to MUTV after the game, former Manchester United captain Maguire suggested an overpacked schedule had eaten into the Mancunians’ practice time under November recruit Amorim, thus hurting their performance.
“I think it is really tough for the manager and his team coming in because it’s not like he has come in with a similar style to the old manager; they are the opposite of what they demand and what they want,” said Maguire.
“It is probably tough for them because they know they want to work with the team on the training pitch and improve things, such as the defending principles and the set-play principles.”
He added:
“It has been a tough month with games, but again, we do not want to use that as an excuse. This club demands winning and at the moment we are not.
“It is not good enough for ourselves, for the club and for the fans.”
The defeat on Boxing Day marked United’s third consecutive loss on the bounce in all competitions (2 in the league, 1 in the EFL Cup). They have now played 10 games under Amorim, losing five, drawing one, and winning four.
The 20-time English champions will face Premier League opponents Newcastle United at Old Trafford in their final game of 2024 on Monday, 30th December.
