Manchester United currently finds itself languishing in the 15th position of the Premier League table, a stark contrast to its storied history. As the team prepares for Ipswich Town's visit to Old Trafford on Wednesday, scrutiny over recent performances has intensified. With just one win in their last four games, Manager Ruben Amorim acknowledges that the constant criticism is taking a toll on his squad.
Amorim, who is Portuguese, has openly admitted that the players are struggling under the weight of expectations. The recent announcement that an additional 200 club staff members are set to be made redundant has further darkened the mood around Old Trafford. Despite this, Amorim insists the team is not directly affected by these redundancies.
"They are not feeling that pressure [connected to redundancies]. They don't feel that pressure of people losing their job, I'm not saying it's a bad thing — they are young kids that live in a different world — but they suffer a different pressure and sometimes it's harder."
Amorim believes that the players are taking criticism personally, impacting their performance on the field. The team's recent 2-2 draw against Everton saw them fight back from two goals down, yet they faced heavy criticism for their first-half performance.
"They feel the pressure that they need to win at Manchester United and every time we lose and every time they don't perform there are a lot of people on social media and in the newspaper they are putting on a lot of pressure," he stated.
In response to the ongoing challenges, Manchester United has set its sights on winning the Premier League title by 2028. The club's plan hinges on improving recruitment decisions, a department in which they have spent extravagantly over the past decade with minimal success.
"We have an idea but we need to be a better team and recruit better and not make a lot of mistakes in that department," Amorim emphasized.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Amorim remains hopeful that the criticism does not exacerbate the already pressurized environment at the club. He acknowledges the need for improvement but also understands the difficulty of convincing fans and staff of potential success amid current struggles.
"They are paying the price for our lack of success and I can't say anything now that is going to convince the fans and all the staff that we're going to do it."
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