January 17, (THEWILL) – Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, addressed several crucial topics during his pre-match press conference ahead of the Brighton fixture at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese tactician discussed player welfare, squad rotation, and offensive challenges facing his team.
Responding to inquiries about Manuel Ugarte’s fitness levels, Amorim defended his midfielder’s performance.
“The players will get used to that. I’m trying to be honest with you guys. I talk openly about the game.
You are focused on what I said about Ugarte. Ugarte was tired because he did a great job against Liverpool,” Amorim stated.
He noted that both Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes excelled in the Liverpool match before sitting out against Newcastle.
The discussion shifted to speculation surrounding Antony’s future at the club, with the Brazilian winger recently absent from team selections.
Amorim maintained his stance on retention, stating, “Like I said, I want to keep my players, I’m focused on these players. I don’t know what is going to happen this window, we’ll see. But he did a good job (against Southampton).”
There were also questions regarding Rasmus Hojlund’s output, with the striker recording seven goals in 25 appearances this season.
Amorim attributed the scoring difficulties to broader team issues rather than individual shortcomings, emphasising the interconnected nature of offensive performance and defensive pressure from opponents.
The manager reflected on Hojlund’s earlier form, reminding reporters of the striker’s prolific period at the start of their collaboration.
“When we started this journey together, Rasmus was the player that was always scoring,” Amorim recalled, expressing confidence in the forward’s ability to return to form.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
