RUBEN Amorim rejected Paul Scholes’ assessment of Manchester United’s performance against Southampton on live TV.
Scholes suggested a “lack of enthusiasm” among United’s squad, who needed Amad Diallo‘s 12-minute hat-trick snatch a 3-1 victory.
X / footballontntRuben Amorim rejected Paul Scholes’ assessment of Manchester United[/caption]
X / footballontntScholes suggested to Amorim that United stars showed a lack of ‘enthusiasm’ against Southampton[/caption]
X / footballontntBut Amorim disagreed with Scholes’ verdict, citing a lack of speed instead[/caption]
Amorim joined Scholes pitch-side to dissect Man Utd’s late comeback against the Saints, who have won one Prem game this season.
TNT Sports pundit Scholes began: “I think you’d have been looking for a bit more of that mentality, that strength, almost enthusiasm for the game tonight which wasn’t quite there again for 70/75 minutes.”
Amorim quickly disagreed and defended his side, explaining: ”I want to be fair with my players, today wasn’t a lack of enthusiasm.
“It was a lack of speed and sometimes control of the game. It’s not just being tired but playing in this stadium we lost the last three games here and the pressure is different.
“We try to press the opponent in build-up and you can feel the difficulties. They creates us a lot of problems between the lines.
“We have difficulties in pressing high in the moment, this team is not used to doing that.
“It seems like a lack of enthusiasm, Manuel Ugarte is late, Kobbie Mainoo is late, Bruno Fernandes going outside and the ball is inside, then one transition and Leny Yoro can’t catch the guy.
“These small things push the team behind and then we get nervous without the ball. Then when you have one click, one goal, one opportunity you feel like the team can control the game better.”
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Southampton were dangerous for large swathes of the game as the hosts struggled to contain Kamaldeen Sulemana, Tyler Dibling and Mateus Fernandes.
Scholes felt that his former side had been outclassed and that Amorim must be seething at the performance.
The United icon said: “For 80 minutes that’s as bad as a performance as you’ll see, especially against a team who were bottom of the league.
“For 80 minutes Southampton were so much better than Manchester United, passing the ball, technically, tactically. Amad was the one bright spark. Man United were really poor.
“The control when it came in to Rasmus Hojlund so poor at times, he kept giving it back to them.
“Southampton were on a different level. It’s solely because of Amad that United won the game, rest of the players, [take a] long hard look at yourself.”
United played 120 minutes in their FA Cup third-round victory over Arsenal at the Emirates, before beating the Gunners 5-3 on penalties.
Yoro, who came on during extra-time on Sunday and scored the third penalty in the shootout, had a nightmare against Southampton.
Sulemana gave him the run-around for most of the game, while Kyle Walker-Peters at left wing back also caused issues for the 19-year-old.
On TNT Sports commentary Ally McCoist said of Yoro: “He is getting absolutely smashed to smithereens tonight, the poor lad.”
RexSaints forward Sulemana tormented Yoro for 70 minutes[/caption]
RexHat-trick hero Amad Diallo was the one bright spark, according to Scholes[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
