RUBEN AMORIM hit back at Wayne Rooney for branding his Prem title ambitions as ‘naive’.
Fulham dumped out FA Cup holders Manchester United as keeper Bernd Leno saved penalties from Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee in a shootout.
But United boss Amorim says his real goal is to become league champions.
The Red Devils’ 253-goal top scorer Rooney, who turns 40 in October, claims that will not happen until top players want to sign for the club.
In a dig at Rooney, who was axed as Plymouth boss in December, Amorim blasted: “I’m not naive. We know we are in a difficult time.
” I knew that before I came and I know that now – maybe that’s why I am the manager of Manchester United at 40 years of age.
“It’s really easy to be a pundit. I was a pundit for a time in Portugal and I know it’s easy and everybody knows everything.
“Winning the league again at this club is the goal.
“Being ‘naive’ is thinking we are going to do it this season or being the best contender next season.”
Amorim’s blast at Rooney is the second time in three days that he has called out a club icon.
The Portuguese bit back at Roy Keane on Friday over the former Red Devils skipper’s criticism of current captain Bruno Fernandes, saying “my opinion is more important”.
TV pundit Rooney took aim at Amorim for earlier saying in a post-match ITV interview that “the goal is to win the Premier League”.
Rooney said: “It’s a little naive to say they’re looking to win the Premier League because from where they are now, they’re a long way off that.
“If I’m a player at a different club and Manchester United try to sign me, I’m thinking ‘I’m not sure’. The top players want Champions League.
“United were in transition when I signed and a big reason I signed was Sir Alex Ferguson because you knew he’d get it right and build that team again. It’s hard to see that now.”
Amorim was appointed United boss on November 1 after Erik ten Hag was sacked — five months after the Dutchman won the FA Cup.
The former Sporting Lisbon manager has lost ten of 24 matches across all competitions since taking over. Ten Hag took 55 matches to lose ten games.
This defeat — earning Fulham a home quarter-final with Crystal Palace — came in a shootout after Fernandes levelled Calvin Bassey’s opener.
Rooney added: “He’ll get time but it’s not a free hit and managers aren’t getting that time over the last ten to 15 years.
“You have to be selfish as a manager and say ‘okay, if I don’t do it now I might not get that time.’
“There has been a slow decline of the club. They need to get some consistency and then they will move forward.”
Fernandes suggested his team were not fit enough to see off Fulham in extra-time.
He said: “We were out of legs and we couldn’t keep the ball. It’s just tiredness.
“It’s very disappointing. We’ve been struggling in the Premier League so this was one of our aims, getting to Wembley again like last season and two seasons before.
“Fulham were more relaxed on the ball with more patience.”
Fulham have never won a major trophy but qualified for the quarter-finals for the second season in three.
Boss Marco Silva said: “We were brave and we were the better team.
“It was a moment for Bernd Leno to show that he is one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League.
“We really want to get to Wembley this time – this competition is so important to this club.”
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