A SPIKY Ruben Amorim admitted he was “frustrated” and “angry” after Manchester United’s 1-1 home draw with West Ham.
Sougountou Magassa’s 83rd-minute equaliser denied United victory and the chance to move into fifth, a probable Champions League qualifying place.
The result marked the fourth time since the start of last month that United have blown a chance to move into the top five.
United supporters booed at full-time and the team have now won only one of their last five games.
A curt Amorim bemoaned United’s lack of competitiveness at second balls, believing that it contributed to the corner that Magassa eventually scored from.
“Frustrated, angry, that’s it,” Amorim said.
DEAD-EYED
How Arsenal made Ruben Amorim to transform Man Utd’s set-piece strategy
Man Utd 1 West Ham 1
Red Devils booed off as they fluff another chance to get top five spot
“Maybe after the first goal, we lost some second balls and Matheus (Cunha) won one or two second balls to make a transition.
“We try to defend all the time far from the goal because we know they try to make a cross, win a corner.
“It happened, long ball, they won a second ball against three guys of us in defence so we need to be better in the second half.”
Amorim made five substitutions and four of them were defensive players. Leny Yoro replaced struggling centre back Ayden Heaven with the game goalless at half-time but left back Patrick Dorgu and defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte emerged with United ahead.
Centre back Lisandro Martinez came on after West Ham levelled.
Amorim dismissed the suggestion his changes were too conservative.
He added: “We are losing because of the second balls. Sometimes it’s not more men in front that you are going to win the ball.
“We had moments to put in the offensive player. Who? Who would be more offensive?”
When Kobbie Mainoo was mentioned, Amorim laughed.
“I know Bruno (Fernandes) reaches the box really well. Mason Mount plays in his position. They were trying to push us.
“Bryan (Mbeumo) has a lot of pace to try to win the ball in transitions so that was my idea.”
Man Utd ratings: Amad a bright spark and Casemiro back in form… but Cunha clearly not fit vs West Ham
MATHEUS CUNHA looked way off the pace on his return from injury as Manchester United missed another golden chance to climb up the table.
Diogo Dalot scored his first Premier League goal in over a year to set United on course for a Champions League spot.
But Ruben Amorim’s side immediately took their foot off the gas rather than look for a clincher.
And West Ham turned the set-piece tables on United as Soungoutou Magassa fired in the rebound from a Jarrod Bowen header to snatch a point.
In truth, United barely deserved the win as they were far too relaxed about their slim one-goal advantage – much to the ire of Roy Keane in the Sky Sports studio.
Here’s how SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the United players from Old Trafford…
Despite his foul mood, Amorim insisted he would debrief the United players at their Carrington training complex on Friday.
The Portuguese assured his post-match mood is always consistent, apart from when he smashed a television following the 3-1 defeat to Brighton in January.
“In that regard I am always consistent,” he stressed. “I had one [exception against] Brighton last year.
“So I will talk to them tomorrow.”
Read the full article here