Rúben Amorim conceded that Manchester United “lack a lot” after a 1-0 defeat to Wolves at Old Trafford laid bare the issues plaguing his struggling side.
The loss came just days after United’s dramatic 5-4 comeback win over Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final second leg—a result that masked the deeper cracks within a team languishing in 14th place in the Premier League.
Despite the midweek high, Amorim is under no illusions about the scale of the problems facing his side during what has been a dismal domestic campaign.
United’s primary issue remains a lack of cutting edge in front of goal. Danish striker Rasmus Højlund and his fellow attackers failed to make an impact once again, as Pablo Sarabia’s second-half free-kick sealed a fifth straight league win for Wolves—their best top-flight run since 1970.
In contrast, Amorim has won just six of his 22 league games since replacing Erik ten Hag in November, with Saturday’s defeat marking United’s 15th league loss of the season—a Premier League-era club record.
“If you look at the game, we were the better team—but in the end, it doesn’t matter,” a visibly frustrated Amorim said post-match.
“If we don’t score goals, nothing matters, because the result is all that counts, especially in moments like this.”
“We created a lot of chances, controlled the game, blocked some of their best players. But one set-piece changed everything. It’s really frustrating.”
The Portuguese coach didn’t shy away from the broader problems.
“We tell the fans the truth—we lack a lot. We miss chances. And if we don’t score, we’re not going to win. We have to focus on improving, step by step, and accept that this is how it will be until the end of the season. Then, changes have to be made.”
With a Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao looming, Amorim is desperate for Højlund to rediscover his scoring touch—the 21-year-old has found the net just once in his last 28 appearances.
Asked whether he might take the young striker out of the spotlight, especially with Joshua Zirkzee sidelined for the rest of the season, Amorim dismissed the idea.
“No. If you look at the games, we have several players missing big chances—not just Rasmus.
But yes, as a striker, his job is to score. Still, it’s a team issue. We’re not scoring enough, and it’s not just on him.”
“The only way I know to fix this is to work with him, show him videos, keep encouraging him. He needs a goal—and maybe that’s all a striker needs to turn things around.”
AFP
