Lisandro Martinez has offered a different perspective to Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim’s harsh self-critique, following the team’s recent upturn in results. After a disappointing defeat to Brighton that saw United languishing at 13th in the Premier League earlier this month, Amorim labelled his squad “the worst team maybe” in Manchester United’s history and admitted to “failing” his players.
However, Martinez’s comments after netting the decisive goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Fulham suggest a more positive atmosphere within the camp. Speaking to Telemundo Deportes, the defender credited Amorim for boosting the team’s morale since his November appointment. “I feel very confident. The coach gives us that confidence,” he said.
He also highlighted the growing synergy on the pitch, particularly in defence, adding: “The connection we have… at the back, they [the players] know that if you are attacking, if you are in front, you know they are covering you. So when you already know and when you go back a little bit and your colleagues are there, covering, you go with more confidence.”
Despite some underwhelming results, United’s performances have shown signs of improvement since Erik ten Hag left, including with victories over Manchester City and Arsenal (albeit on penalties), as well as a draw with Liverpool. With consecutive wins against Rangers and Fulham last week, the team are now looking up in the table rather than down, both domestically and in Europe.
Amorim was at the centre of a storm following United’s disheartening 3-1 defeat to Brighton, where he reportedly damaged a TV and made no secret of his frustration. “In 10 Premier League games we’ve won two,” he vented post-match.
“I know that. Imagine what this is for a Manchester United fan and for me. You’re getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that. But I’m not going to change [the system], no matter what.
“We need to survive this moment because I’m not naive,” he added. “We are being the worst team – maybe – in the history of Manchester United. “You want headlines. I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that, too.”
A few days later, Amorim attributed his severe comments to “passion” yet didn’t shy away from the reality of his tribulations. “I am feeling that I am failing my players,” he told TNT Sports.
“That feeling is really hard to deal [with]. It is more about me than the other people because I have a clear idea that tomorrow nobody is going to remember me, so it’s not about me or what other people think about me – that will pass in two weeks. I am just focused on my feelings and the way I need to do my job.”
He continued: “I need to feel like I am not disappointing people. It is more about that than the pressure from outside. For me, believe it or not, it is always the same because I don’t read anything. It is more about the pressure that I have inside; I don’t like to lose, and to lose so many times is really hard to cope [with].”
However, the mood has shifted after wins over Rangers and Fulham, and United can now look forward to Thursday’s Europa League clash against FCSB, where a win would secure a spot in the knockout rounds. It would also see them secure three wins on the bounce for the first time this season.
