Ruben Amorim acknowledged the difficult task of restoring Manchester United to their former glory, describing it as a “long journey” after a surprising 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford. The loss marked Forest’s first victory at the iconic venue in 30 years and handed Amorim consecutive league defeats for the first time since August 2022, when he was managing Sporting CP.
The result has left United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table, with just 19 points from 15 games—their worst start to a season since 1986-87. Despite the setback, Amorim struck a composed tone, emphasizing patience and persistence. “It will be a long journey, but we want to win because this is a massive club. You feel it—when you lose one game, it’s really hard for everybody,” Amorim said. He urged his team to remain focused on improving their performance and continuing their efforts in training, regardless of external pressures.
United’s defeat was rooted in a series of defensive blunders that gifted Forest their goals. Nikola Milenković capitalized on Lisandro Martínez’s failure to challenge for a corner, scoring with a thunderous header just 90 seconds into the match. Bruno Fernandes then misplaced a pass, and André Onana committed a costly error, allowing Morgan Gibbs-White to double Forest’s lead. More mistakes from Onana, Martínez, and Matthijs de Ligt compounded United’s woes, with Chris Wood netting the decisive third goal.
Reflecting on the mistakes, Amorim drew parallels to his early struggles at Sporting CP, emphasizing that such challenges are not uncommon in football. “The feeling for me is the same, but for the world, it’s completely different,” he noted. “If you are a little experienced in football, this happens with a lot of clubs. We need time and to continue to work in the same way every day.”
Despite the defeat, Amorim remains optimistic about United’s future. He stressed the importance of staying consistent in their approach, believing the situation can be turned around with time and perseverance. However, the pressure mounts as United’s loyal fanbase demands swift improvement from the storied club.
