Jamie Carragher says he was baffled by Ruben Amorim when he called his Manchester United squad “perhaps the worst” in the club’s history and believes it could backfire on the manager.
The United boss gave his scathing assessment of his side after their 3-1 defeat at home to Brighton left Old Trafford in 13th place in the Premier League.
In 10 matches played in the Premier League, we won two,” said Amorim. “We’re probably the worst team in Manchester United’s history. I know you want headlines, but I’m saying that because we have to accept that and change that. Here’s your headlines.”
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Amorim insists he has no plans to change and his side need time despite two wins in their last 10 Premier League games.
Carragher says United’s struggles this season are clear to see and Amorim’s strong words only serve to further criticize the club and the players.
“I don’t know the history of Manchester United as well as Gary Neville, but I have to say it was one of the strangest and most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard from a manager,” Carragher said. Sky Sports News ahead Monday night football.
“Why would you make a comment like that… an expert would make comments like that, someone in my position, and you have to defend it. I don’t know what he’s getting out of it, what’s the benefit.
“We all know it’s a poor Manchester United team. They’ve lost another game at home to Brighton, they’ve done that in the last few years. We know it’s a tough season, we know that is a poor team.just watered it down, that will be a quote that will follow him for the rest of the season.
“He said to the journalists there, ‘I’ll give you your title. Why do you want to do that as a manager? I’ll never know.’
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Sam Blitz finds out if Amorim is right when he says that Manchester United’s current squad is possibly the worst in the club’s history.
Carragher believes the comments are unlikely to bode well for the team and could pose a problem for Amorim as he tries to motivate them ahead of games this season.
“It doesn’t help you with confidence going forward,” Carragher said when asked what effect Amorim’s words had on the players.
“I don’t have much sympathy for the players in the Manchester United dressing room, they’ve been joking for a few years now. A few weeks ago, when they played Liverpool, Lisandro Martinez was talking about the mentality that’s there. Miscellaneous – I almost couldn’t stop laughing when I saw how many times Man Utd have thrown in the towel on poor performances over the last four or five years.
“I’d say how the manager can go into the dressing room between now and the end of the season and keep trying to build them up and give them the belief that they’re going to beat whoever they’re up against when they say they’re Man Utd one of the worst teams in history, I can’t see what they’re going to gain from it at all.”
“Manchester United” transfers. Better to hold off until summer, says Carra
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The Transfer Talk panel discusses whether Patrick Dorgu could fit into Amorim’s system
As for United’s poor form, Carragher insists they should shoot for major signings until the summer, when they will have a better chance of bringing in the players Amorim needs to make his system work.
“I don’t think he will get the players he wants in January. We know it’s a difficult market to sell players or bring players in. It’s doubly difficult this season because the European competitions have started in January,” Carragher said.
“If I’m Manchester United I’d keep my dust dry for the summer, there’s going to be a lot more movement where you can bring players in and also get players out. What you don’t want to do is spend money and then arrive summer and thinking these players aren’t good enough to improve this team or system.
“They will have to go through a lot of pain. We all know that and we accept that. I don’t think there’s too much criticism around the manager. They’ve had some good results away from home against Arsenal and Liverpool in the Premier League.
“We know it’s going to be a rollercoaster because the players are not good enough. they have shown it through different managers and different systems.
“I can’t get over the quote he said, I don’t believe it was in his best interest at all.”
