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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has insisted that Tyler Fredricson and Harry Amass “deserved better” and shouldn’t have been caught up in the club’s 1-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Pablo Sarabia scored a 77th-minute free-kick to hand United their 15th loss of the Premier League season at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.
Both Amass and Fredricson were named in the starting XI. It was a senior debut for Fredricson and just a second start for Amass.
The pair were brilliant. Fredricson was solid as part of the three-man defence while Amass was a constant threat at wing-back, delivering a number of sumptuous crosses into the box.
After the final whistle, Amorim spoke to reporters and gave his verdict on the two youngsters and the result.
“Yeah, if you look at the game, we were the better team but in the end it doesn’t matter, because if we don’t score goals nothing matters.”
“It’s the result that counts, especially in these kinds of moments. We created a lot of chances. We controlled the game and we blocked some good opposition players and then one set-piece changed the game and that’s it. It’s really frustrating to end the game like this.”
Asked about United’s poor league form this term, Amorim answered, “We’ll address that at the end. Of course we have a plan and we talk about that every day but the season is not over, let’s focus on that.”
He continued, “We tell the fans the truth, that we lack a lot of things in our team. That we miss chances. If we don’t score goals we’re not going to win. We have a lot to do and we need to focus on improving the team, step by step. And then understanding that until the end of the league, it’s going to be like this.”
On Rasmus Hojlund’s struggles and whether the Dane will be removed from the firing line, Amorim said, “If you look at the game, we have several players that missed big chances, not just Rasmus. But Rasmus’ game is to score goals because he is a striker. But it’s a team thing and I already said that.”
“Our team should score more goals. It’s not just Rasmus who’s missing chances…it’s the whole team.”
On the possibility of playing the kids for the remainder of the Premier League season, Amorim explained, “That I don’t know. The season is not over. What I felt today is that they deserved a better memory from their first games.”
Tyler [Fredricson] played really well, also [Harry] Amass played really well and they deserve better. We were the better team, we played well and created chances but then again, one opportunity for the opponent at the end and they scored.”
Asked how he and his coaching staff will keep up Hojlund’s spirit when it seems like the world is on his shoulders, Amorim said, “The only way I know is to work on him…show him the videos. Like you said, he needed to score but he won’t score if he’s out [of the team], so I try to manage that.”
“He needs to score one, that’s all a striker needs.”
On whether United need to bring in attacking reinforcements, Amorim emphasised once again that the lack of goals is a team issue.
He explained that the club has an idea about what to do in the transfer market but at the moment, the players at his disposal must come up with the goods.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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