Wayne Rooney believes Ruben Amorim’s comments after Manchester United’s shock Carabao Cup defeat at Grimsby on Wednesday night show “something is broken” at the club.
United came from 2-0 down to force a penalty shootout at Blundell Park thanks to Harry Maguire’s late goal, but then lost 12-11 on spot-kicks as summer signing Bryan Mbeumo hit the crossbar with the decisive kick.
A dejected Amorim, who had not watched the shootout but preferred to sit in the dugout, said after the game: “I felt my players spoke really loud today what they want.”
After United finished a lowly 15th last season, their worst finish since 1974, there had been high hopes that a full preseason for Amorim and £200 million ($269m) worth of new attacking talent could lead to a turnaround this term.
But United have begun with a home loss to Arsenal, a draw away to Fulham and a chastening defeat to fourth-tier opposition that has prompted speculation about Amorim’s position just three games into the campaign.
Speaking on the BBC’s The Wayne Rooney Show, the former United forward said: “Just the way they lost, it was disheartening. There’s something not right. I think that’s clear. I think the manager said that after the game and I think that’s clear for everyone to see that there’s something not right there.
“It can happen. We lost to Crawley years back in the Cup. But the difference is, everyone looking at that game, they know it’s a one-off. So the issue now is we’re seeing very similar performances, similar results and even though it’s only three games into the season, it’s getting to a point now where you’re like… what is going on?
“The biggest concern is the manager saying that, his words after the game were damning on the players and obviously being in a position where I’ve been in that dressing room, if your manager comes out with those words, there’s something broken.”
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Rooney suggested that Amorim, who took charge in November following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag, could be struggling to adapt to life at one of the biggest football clubs in the world after arriving from Sporting CP.
“I think what we forget, he’s 40,” Rooney said. “He’s a young manager. And Manchester United is so different to where he’s been before. And you come in, there’s the media team, the commercial team, the fans, the media. It’s completely different.
“And there’s a pressure with Manchester United which he will never have felt before. And when you’re not winning games, that can start to get here and it looks like he, yes, [it] was a breaking point for him.”
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