No word from Eddie Howe, but then his team did the talking tonight. In any case, there’s plenty of meat on the bone of that Ruben Amorim interview, so no doubt folk will be getting on with dissecting that. Anyway, Jamie Jackson was at Old Trafford, and his report is in. Here it is. Thanks for reading this MBM, and indeed all of the MBMs during 2024. Have a happy, healthy and prosperous new year, everyone, and all the best for 2025.
Ruben Amorim talks to Sky. “It was really hard on us … they are a better team and started very strong … when we suffered a goal it is really hard to turn it around … because of all the losses before … we don’t have the base, the work, behind the positioning and the way we play to cope with difficult moments … when you have that work you can hold to something to cope with the different moments of the game … we don’t have that … so the players suffer a lot … Newcastle is a better team.”
Did he get his team selection wrong? “That is really easy when the game started and then finished for people making evaluations … I have to do it before … I’m the only guy who has to do it before … to try to understand the opponent and the way we play … Joshua Zirkzee is a player of Manchester United … we want more power sometimes in front … we are suffering always the first goal in set pieces … so today we had more guys for set pieces … so we are trying to cope with every problem in the team … sometimes we have a lot of problems … sometimes you push one side and the other is open … we are really clear that today Newcastle was a better team … you have to think about the team and also the player, because sometimes the player is suffering … I was there a few years ago … I felt the team was suffering and needed another midfielder … I talked to Josh about that … Josh is a really good guy … when he went to the tunnel, he was in a bad way because he’s a really good lad … Harry Maguire has had some tough moments … we will support Josh … Newcastle was not better than Josh, was better than Manchester United.”
Will he change his ideas? “Maybe … or you continue with your idea, and you have to change the coach … it’s a choice that everybody makes in football … if I feel it’s the best thing for the team, to pass my message, I will go forward easily … you cannot go back … we have to continue to push … we have had four trainings all together … I was here because of my idea, and I will continue to do my idea until the end … we have to fight … it is a difficult moment … we have to address it with honesty … I change something tactical in every game … you focus on the three defenders, you can focus on that … I change every game and you can see it … if I didn’t believe, I would change, because I am not stubborn … if I believe in something I will stick on that.”
