Micah Richards fires clear Man United transfer message amid Ruben Amorim point - 'I'm delighted'

Micah Richards has sympathised with Ruben Amorim after a difficult start to the season, suggesting the Manchester United boss hasn't been sufficiently backed by the owners

Micah Richards believes Ruben Amorim has been subject to unfair criticism after a difficult start to the season. Manchester United returned to winning ways at the weekend, cruising past Sunderland at Old Trafford.

United pocketed three crucial points on Saturday afternoon as they climbed into the top half of the Premier League. They are now just four points adrift off Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur in fourth and third, respectively.

That said, United head into the October international break in 10th place. Having forked out over £200m on new players in the summer, Amorim has been heavily scrutinised.

Speaking on the Rest Is Football podcast, Richards backed the United boss, arguing that he needs the right players for his system. Shortly after the win against the Black Cats, the former Manchester City defender said: "I’m delighted for Amorim.

"I did a big piece last week about the formation, the players, how it’s not working – and it didn’t work [against Brentford]. I was honest about it, but some of the stick he gets online... he’s a manager.

"He’s a big boy. He can deal with it. I believe he’s a good coach. I just don’t believe he’s got the players to do what he wants to do. It’s as simple as that, so to see them getting a win – even though I’m a Blue – it was good for him."

Speaking to reporters ahead of the clash against Sunderland, Amorim defended his decision to stick with a back-three. He said: "I understand when people think, 'what would this team be like in a different system?'

"Maybe this team would win more games. But if we don’t change certain things, we are not going to win titles, even if we change to 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. That is my point with the players.

"I don’t want to change your mind, but my players, I guarantee you, they are listening to all the opinions and they are putting that inside because we are not winning games. They have to believe in me.

"So my biggest problem is that my players believe in you guys when you say the problem with our team is the system. I get crazy about that, because we need to play the same way, with the same power, with the same intensity, with the same focus.

"If you do that, it doesn’t matter about the system. There is no one in the world who can read everything and listen to everything about people who understand football and not be influenced by that.

"So I try to listen and to see all the games because I know that I see the game more times than all those guys [pundits] together, because they have to see all the games in the Premier League and give an opinion.

"My opinion is completely different because I see the games, I see training, I understand my players, I understand what I’m doing and I follow my job this way because it’s impossible to survive in this club, listening to all the things."

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