Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has confessed that his team’s dreadful run of form has left players “afraid on the pitch” as they prepare for a daunting Premier League encounter with league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
United are enduring a nightmare spell, losing their last four games in all competitions without scoring a single goal.
The slump has seen the club drop just seven points above the relegation zone, with Amorim openly acknowledging the growing anxiety among his squad.
“They [the players] are anxious, and sometimes afraid on the pitch,” Amorim admitted.
“We have to cope with that. We need the leaders to step up to help the other guys, and I’m the most responsible person here to improve the performances.”
The Portuguese coach, who took over from Erik ten Hag in November, has managed just five wins in 11 games, with six defeats adding to the mounting pressure.
Speaking after a 2-0 loss to Newcastle, Amorim conceded the club is embroiled in a relegation battle but insisted he remains confident in his ability to steer the team to safety.
“You can see the players are trying, sometimes too anxious, too afraid to play football because this is a difficult moment, and we will help the players to be better,” he said.
Amorim also spoke about the personal toll the job has taken on him:
“You can see in my face, you can compare it to when I arrived and now,” he joked.
“Of course, there is a lot of pressure. For me, it’s more the pride and also the performance. It’s harder when we don’t perform well.”
“When I arrived, I explained everything before, even when you guys were talking after Everton about the top four.”
”I explained I was expecting this, but it’s hard to cope with all the problems, the bad performances, and the losses. It’s really hard.”
“The only thing that can help me is training with the players. And I also have my family now here, so it’s so different, and that can help me a lot.”
With a tough trip to Liverpool followed by an FA Cup clash against Arsenal at the Emirates, Amorim’s resolve will be severely tested as he tries to stabilize a sinking Manchester United ship.
