Ruben Amorim takes blame for Everton defeat

Manchester United are fresh off the back of their 1-0 defeat to Everton at Old Trafford, with the analysis of the performance and on Ruben Amorim’s reaction to it only just getting started.

The loss has landed hard as United came into the game on a five-match unbeaten run in the league and knew results elsewhere over the weekend had opened a small window to climb the table.

At home, under the lights, against an Everton side who have struggled at Old Trafford for over a decade, this was exactly the kind of fixture Amorim’s rebuild needed to handle.

Instead, it turned into another surreal chapter in United’s season. Idrissa Gueye’s red card in the 13th minute, after he was sent off for striking his own team-mate Michael Keane, left Everton down to 10 men for more than 70 minutes.

From there, United had the ball but never truly had the game.

The tempo was too slow, the passing too safe and Everton were allowed to drop into a compact, organised shape that they were never really forced out of.

A single first-half strike was enough for the visitors to leave with a 1-0 win and their first Premier League victory at Old Trafford in 12 years.

In the immediate aftermath, Ruben Amorim spoke of his frustration, admitted United are “not even close” to where they need to be to fight for the top places, and even confessed he is “afraid” of last season’s feeling returning at Old Trafford.

But as the questioning of the performance continued, the United boss was pushed on whether absences had played a decisive role.

With Matheus Cunha missing from the squad after a head injury in training on the weekend, Benjamin Sesko being out of action with a knee injury, and United lacking a cutting edge in attack, it would have been easy for Amorim to point to his options, or lack of them, as a key factor.

Instead, he shut that line of thinking down on the spot.

Asked if not having Cunha available had impacted the result, Ruben Amorim replied: “That’s just an excuse. It’s my fault. I need to explain to my players how to play in every situation.”

It’s a short quote but a telling one.

In an interview where he has already questioned the team’s mentality, intensity and ability to manage big moments, Amorim has now made it clear he’s putting the responsibility squarely on his own shoulders as well.

For the dressing room, that removes any hiding place, if the manager is taking the blame publicly, the response from the players has to come on the pitch, and fast.

The loss has kept Manchester United in tenth place when a win could have seen them climb to fourth, as Everton now joins them in 11th, with both on 18 points.

With all of this weekend’s games now played, the top of the table in the Premier League is now incredibly close with only three points separating fourth-place Aston Villa and 12th-place Liverpool.

As such, it’s not too late in the day for United to launch a comeback, but any more performances like this one could see the club back at square one.