Manchester United manager, Ruben Amorim, has told his players they “cannot hide” after their troubled season reached a new low with a 1-0 defeat to a Southeast Asian XI during a friendly match in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The loss, which saw the team booed off the pitch by disappointed fans, follows a dismal campaign in which United finished 15th in the Premier League and failed to win any trophies. Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag mid-season, acknowledged the disappointment and urged his squad to face their global supporters with honesty and accountability.
“We’ve had the season that we had and it’s not easy to face the fans around the world… but it’s clear that we cannot hide,” Amorim said after the match. “At this club, we need to face our fans in this moment and give something back to them.”
The Red Devils had hoped to restore some pride through a pair of lucrative post-season friendlies in Asia, but their uninspired performance in Malaysia has only added to the frustration. The team now heads to Hong Kong, where they will face the city’s representative side on Friday.
Amorim admitted that the squad, which featured a mix of first-team players and youth prospects, lacked focus in Wednesday’s match. “Everybody can feel it… we want to give something to the fans, but it’s hard in this moment,” he said.
Reflecting on his brief tenure so far, the 40-year-old Portuguese coach said managing Manchester United goes beyond tactics and training. “You have to improve as a person, you have to improve as a leader,” he noted. “When you have results, you can manage everything so much easier.”
Despite heavy rain at Hong Kong Stadium ahead of the next game, Amorim stressed the importance of professionalism to avoid further setbacks. “If we are professional and we focus on the game, it is the best way to protect our players from injuries,” he said, joking that “the weather looks like Manchester, so we feel at home.”
Manchester United’s Asia tour continues under a cloud of scrutiny, with players and coaching staff under pressure to show progress and reconnect with their global fan base after a forgettable season.
