Manchester United Struggles: Amorim Faces Tough Questions After 3-0 Loss to Bournemouth
Manchester United’s new era under Ruben Amorim got off to a rocky start with a resounding 3-0 defeat against Bournemouth. The loss has raised numerous questions about the team’s direction and performance, leaving Amorim under pressure to find solutions quickly.
Despite the heavy defeat, Amorim is taking full responsibility. “The responsibility is on me, not Carlos,” he stated. “We are a team in good moments and bad moments. We have a way of doing things. We are working on that and we are going to improve. But we didn’t lose because of set pieces. We lost because we created more chances and didn’t score.”
However, Argentina defender Lisandro MartÃnez was more direct in his assessment. Speaking to Match of the Day, he expressed frustration: “We are so angry with this kind of situation. We have to work on set pieces especially. I believe a lot in this team and staff. If they don’t score their first goal from a set-piece, then it is a totally different game.”
Amorim’s lineup choices and tactical decisions were also scrutinized. Tyrell Malacia, entrusted with the left wing-back role, was substituted at halftime due to his poor performance. Diogo Dalot, who switched sides, failed to provide a significant offensive threat. Noussair Mazraoui moved to left wing-back, and committed a rash tackle on Justin Kluivert, leading to a penalty and Bournemouth’s second goal.
Offensively, Manchester United struggled, with only captain Bruno Fernandes posing a genuine threat to Bournemouth’s goal. Marcus Rashford, who has been omitted from the starting lineup for the past three games, was present at Old Trafford but did not feature. When asked about Rashford’s potential return, Amorim was noncommittal: “It depends, we will see if he comes into contention for the Boxing Day trip to Wolves.”
This defeat highlights the challenges Amorim faces in turning around Manchester United’s fortunes. With a crucial match against Wolves approaching, the Portuguese manager will need to make decisive changes to regain momentum and restore confidence in the team.