Amorim names three things Man Utd 'have to be better' at; reveals he will have big say on transfers

Ruben Amorim has told his first pre-match press conference as Man Utd manager that he is looking to improve their defending as a priority.

The Red Devils sacked Erik ten Hag at the end of October after the Dutchman could only guide them to three wins in their first nine Premier League matches of the season.

Despite securing another four points in two games under interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy, new head coach Amorim will start with Man Utd 13th place in the Premier League.

Amorim was officially announced on November 1 but he could not start until last week after taking charge of his final match as Sporting Lisbon boss in a 4-2 win over Braga.

Speculation is already rife about who INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe could look to buy in order to support Amorim in the January transfer window with numerous names mooted as potential additions.

And Amorim insists he will have a big say in who Man Utd recruit going forward with the Portuguese coach needing players to fit his system.

Amorim told reporters on Friday: “It has to be altogether. If you are a coach that came in here and already chose the players, you could be wrong because this is a football club for a long time and you as a coach do not know that.

“We have to work everybody together, and to do that we have to improve the process of recruitment. The data and the profile of the players we want.

“I have to have a strong position on that because I am the coach and I know how to play. It is altogether, but the final word should be the manager, not just because it is your right but because it is your responsibility, because in the end they will ask you the results.

“Altogether we must improve the process of recruitment. I have to understand the league. When everything is aligned and everyone is on the same page we can buy and sell players.

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“It is not the final say, but I have a great responsibility when we choose players. That is because it is something that should be done in this way. I am the head coach so I have to choose the players.”

On “small things” he’s looking to improve at Man Utd immediately, Amorim added: “If you want to speak about the team we lose the ball too often and have to keep the ball better. We have to be better on running back I think that’s clear for everyone.

“And we have to be better in the defence, people talk about changing big things but I think changing the small things, in the small things I think we can make a difference.”

On his coaching style, Amorim continued: “As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 per cent our way. I choose to risk a bit.

“If I believe so much in our way of playing, they will believe too. There is no second way. We will adapt some players because we don’t have a different profile.

“Maybe on Sunday you will see the starting 11 and not feel a lot of change but you will see it in the game and the positioning or where they receive the ball.”

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