Every word from Ruben Amorim’s press conference vs Brighton and Hove Albion

Ruben Amorim says Harry Maguire and Mason Mount have picked up knocks in midweek and are doubts for Manchester United this weekend.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Brighton, the boss was first asked whether there are any issues with the squad for the game.

“The squad is fine,” he answered. “We have some doubts. We had some issues during the week with Harry Maguire and Mason Mount . Knocks but nothing serious. We will see tomorrow.

Licha is out, the rest is ready for the game. I think it’s going to be like always, but it’s going to be a very difficult game. I think Brighton is a team really fun to watch. They are really good on build-up. They are really strong on transitions in every aspect of the game. They are doing well in set-pieces this season.

So I think they are a team that is really complete and we need to be really smart and to face that game with a real focus on everything that we do because they are a very strong team. And Fabian Hertzler, his philosophy and the way he coaches that team. You can see by the way they play the game. Really intense. The quality is there. They believe a lot on what they are doing, even under pressure. So I’m a huge fan of Fabian.

The next question was “how do you balance the need to forget the Liverpool game while also maintaining and building momentum from it?”

Amorim answered “Yeah, we use the good spirit of winning games. We know that was a good weekend for us, but our focus is in the next game. That is in the past. And we need to understand that football changed a lot, especially in this kind of club. So we are not thinking in the last game. We are thinking on this game is going to be really hard to win.

The subject then turned to Bruno Fernandes, who is set to make his 300th appearance tomorrow. Amorim was asked what he thinks of him as a person and a player.

“I think it’s a little bit different what I was expecting,” Amorim admitted. “Everything you read about the player sometimes is not that. You can understand sometimes, and I already spoke about that. The frustration that he feels is because he wants to help a lot the teammates.

“Sometimes it’s not the best way, but he comes from a good place, and you don’t know that when you are not here. He wants the responsibility all the time. He suffered a lot with the losses. Every time we don’t win a game, you can feel it, that he takes it personally, as he should be as a captain.

“He’s a great leader, a great footballer. Let’s see if he’s going to reach that mark tomorrow.”

The head coach was then asked what has impressed him the most about how much the team has improved compared to the last games.

“I think the first thing we were, again, really focused during the game. Then we played different games, so we have one identity, one way of playing, but we adapt what kind of game we need to play in the moment. And you can sense that the first half against Sunderland was not the same as the second half. We know how to manage that. And then against Liverpool, of course, we scored right away in the first play.

“And then we managed the game playing in a different style because it was needed in that moment. That is a good thing. And then the spirit. And sometimes when you have a good spirit, you have that bit of luck that we need to win games.”

Harry Maguire’s contract was the next topic, with the boss being asked if he’d like him to stay at United.

“We are really happy with Harry,” he replied. “It’s not the time to talk about that again because that gives the idea that we are thinking so far away. We are really happy with Harry. He’s really important for us but we need to focus on just the next game.

When does he expect Lisandro Martinez to return?

“I don’t know,” the boss replied. “He trained really well, not with us, but he was on the next pitch and then I was watching also the training.

“He’s feeling well, he’s responding really well, so I don’t want to say one specific day or one week, I don’t know, but he’s near to start the training with the team and then it depends on the of the rhythm of Licha, if he wins the place or not, that will depend on him. But he is close to to return to training.

The next question was “I know you had a smile on your face, but you said the media should carry on with their narrative. Does the team feed from that when people doubt you, because people have doubted you?”

Amorim replied:

“What I mean is that we cannot change so much. I think they asked me about top four in the end of the question. So I don’t want to change so much with the difference of 20 centimetres. If Gakpo shoots 20 centimetres here [points], the narrative would be completely different. So I just want to maintain some calm, some direction in what we are doing. That’s what I mean. There is doubt if you are a manager in this kind of club and you don’t win a lot of games. People are going to doubt you and they have reasons for that.

But my my point of view is that we need to be clear on our path and not changing so much because we win one game. That’s all.

Attention then turned back to how well Harry Maguire has been playing.

“Yes, I think it was good for him to play with the three centre-backs. I think he feels more comfortable. He can play, because he plays in the centre, he doesn’t need to go to the side so much. So sometimes you help some players with the way you play. Sometimes it’s the opposite with some players. So I’m really pleased. I think he’s not young, but he can learn a lot. He can improve.

“I think he can be so much better with the ball because he has that quality and he needs to show that. Nowadays, with the set pieces that you see, the amount of men that you put in the box, every cross from the opponents, and everyone is playing like that. He’s a massive player for us, so I’m really happy. But he needs to continue. That game is in the past, that goal is in the past. Let’s move forward to the present and the future.”

The embargoed section of the presser will be covered here tonight from 10.30pm.

Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images

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