Ruben Amorim has kept his message to Manchester United supporters remarkably short ahead of Saturday’s must-win clash with Burnley – writing just 95 words in the matchday programme.
The Portuguese coach, under intense scrutiny after Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup humiliation at League Two Grimsby, used his notes to apologise and stress unity as the only solution to United’s early-season crisis.
Amorim wrote: ‘Good afternoon and welcome back to Old Trafford. Today, as we welcome Scott Parker and his Burnley side, we need to give a response after Wednesday night’s cup fixture.
‘I can only say to our supporters that I am sorry. The better team on the night won the game and both what we showed, everybody has to do better. Today, we have to show intensity from the start.
‘We need to go out onto the pitch and show how we are capable of playing, because the only way we fix this is by winning games.’
The unusually brief note comes just three days after United crashed out of the EFL Cup in embarrassing fashion, losing 12-11 on penalties at Grimsby after clawing back from 2-0 down in normal time. It leaves Amorim’s men with only the Premier League and FA Cup left to fight for this season.
Ruben Amorim watched his Manchester United side lose to Grimsby on penalties this week
United now host Burnley on Saturday afternoon and Amorim’s programme note is very short
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United’s league campaign has already stuttered. Last year’s 15th-place finish was the club’s worst in Premier League history, and this term began with a 1-0 home defeat by Arsenal before a 1-1 draw at Fulham.
Another failure to win on Saturday would deepen the crisis engulfing Old Trafford.
Amorim has cut a tormented figure in recent days, admitting after the Grimsby loss: ‘I just have to say sorry to our fans… when everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it’s a problem in our club, we should do so much better.’
He also confessed that the pressure has left him questioning himself, saying: ‘Sometimes I want to quit. Sometimes I want to be here for 20 years.’
The defeat at Blundell Park sparked fierce reaction. Wayne Rooney claimed Amorim was already at ‘breaking point.’
‘There’s something not right,’ said Rooney.
‘The manager’s words after the game were damning on the players… When you’re not winning games that starts to get to you. It looks like this was a breaking point for him.’
Tension has not been confined to results. Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo asked to leave on loan this week, only for Amorim to block the move, insisting: ‘We need Kobbie. He has to fight for his place.’
United’s players looked dejected and nervous during Wednesday’s shootout at Blundell Park
Meanwhile, Daily Mail Sport revealed that Amorim will hold showdown talks with United’s hierarchy during the upcoming international break.
After Grimsby, he admitted: ‘Something has to change – and you’re not going to change 22 players again.’
The 40-year-old, who has won just seven of his 29 league games since arriving last November, was at Carrington by 7am on Thursday to prepare for Burnley.
United sources have insisted they are not planning a managerial change yet, but defeat against Vincent Kompany’s Clarets would test their resolve.