Manchester United’s demanding standards remained at the center of Ruben Amorim’s message as he stated that the club must always operate with “no excuses” regardless of circumstances. His stance reflects the ongoing pressure at Old Trafford after a difficult first season under his leadership and a shaky beginning to the current campaign.
United recently found brief momentum with three straight wins, only to drop points again in consecutive 2-2 draws against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham after failing to protect leads. The frustration grew on Monday when United suffered a 1-0 home defeat to 10-man Everton, a setback that increased the scrutiny surrounding the team and raised the stakes ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace. Palace entered the weekend sixth on the table, four places ahead of United.
Amorim was direct when asked if this was the type of match United should be winning. “In our club it’s the same thing because last year we had to win every game all the time,” he said. “We took a lot of things, a lot of criticism because we were not winning, so in our club there is no excuses. I said the same thing last year when we were in Europe and I said the same thing this year, the advantage and the disadvantage of not being in Europe, so there is no excuses. Last year or this year we have always to win games.”
Why Is Manchester United’s League Position a Concern?
United sit in 10th place, a position Amorim admitted was below expectations when looking at how they performed in several matches. “I think if I look at the games we should have more points because we had control of some games, we had the advantage in some games, and we lost that control,” he said. “So, if I look at our games we should have more points and that is really disappointing and really frustrating, especially the last game.”
Their squad challenges continue as Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Harry Maguire remain unavailable for the upcoming game in London.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have continued their rise under Oliver Glasner, who secured the club’s historic FA Cup victory in May. Glasner has also faced Amorim before, during the Portuguese manager’s time at Sporting in the Champions League against Eintracht Frankfurt.
How Is Amorim Preparing for Palace and Evolving as a Manager?
Amorim highlighted his respect for Glasner’s approach. “I played against him in Frankfurt with Sporting, so I know the (style of) play,” he said. He also emphasized his commitment to constant improvement. “I take inspiration from everyone. When I have two weeks for (an international break), I watch all the managers and try to take all the inspiration that I can take. I have six years as a professional manager, so I’m always trying to learn to improve my team.”
United now face a critical test at Selhurst Park, where the pressure to deliver aligns perfectly with Amorim’s message. In his view, the expectations at Manchester United remain unchanged: no excuses and a constant demand to win.
By Yockshard Enyendi