Ruben Amorim expressed his disappointment after Manchester United’s 1-0 loss to Everton, marking the anniversary of his first match in charge.
Despite Everton being reduced to 10 men early on, United failed to capitalise. Idrissa Gueye was sent off after a clash with Michael Keane. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored the decisive goal in the 29th minute, bypassing two challenges before finding the net.
United’s defeat at Old Trafford was historic as it was their first Premier League loss there against a team that received a red card. Previously, they had won 36 and drawn 10 out of 46 such matches. The Red Devils managed 25 attempts, with 23 coming after Gueye’s dismissal, but only six were on target. Their expected goals (xG) stood at 1.7.
The home crowd expressed their discontent with boos at full-time, reflecting Amorim’s own frustration. He criticised the team’s lack of intensity and poor decision-making against a numerically disadvantaged opponent. “Really frustrated, like any other person that supports Man Utd,” he told Sky Sports.
Amorim highlighted the team’s failure to adapt to playing against 10 men and lamented their inability to seize opportunities. “We had a lot of chances, but the quality and the decision-making was not there,” he said. The manager emphasised that intensity is crucial from the start of the game.
United have struggled when trailing at half-time, failing to win any of their last 10 Premier League games in such situations since beating Southampton in January. This latest result halted their five-game unbeaten streak and prevented them from climbing to fifth place.
Amorim acknowledged this as more than just a missed chance, stating, “We need to play the game in a different way.” He noted that while the team can perform well at times, inconsistency remains an issue.
The manager also reflected on how other teams’ results could have benefited United if they had secured a win. Instead, they remain in tenth place, unable to take advantage of dropped points by teams above them this weekend.
Amorim admitted surprise at his team’s performance but reiterated that there is much work ahead for improvement. He stressed understanding each game’s dynamics is essential for success and expressed frustration over their display at home given recent league developments.