Ratcliffe confident United players not adversely affected by Amorim remarks

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has no concern that Ruben Amorim describing his Manchester United team as maybe the worst in the club’s history will cause the players to lose faith in the head coach and adversely affect performance.

United are 13th in the Premier League with 26 points and a -5 goal difference before travelling to Fulham on Sunday for the late game. Ratcliffe’s view is that the squad understand Amorim has a fierce desire to win and can be passionate and that his outburst will soon be forgotten.

After last Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Brighton at Old Trafford, Amorim said: “In 10 games in the Premier League, we won two. I know that. We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United.”

On Wednesday the Portuguese expressed regret over his comments and said: “I was ­talking more for myself than my players because I was talking that [I am] a coach who starts out losing seven games in the first [15]. So it’s more for me.”

On Thursday United moved closer to automatic qualification for the last 16 of the Europa League with a dramatic 2-1 win at home to Rangers. Amorim has previously spoken of how avoiding the playoffs would allow a clear week of training to work more with the players and implant his tactics.

After the victory over Rangers, Amorim outlined how a full pre-season was important in regards to building confidence and consistency in his squad. “I want them to know me in a different way, not always preparing the matches with stress, we don’t have the time to do that,” he said. “I think it’s really important and I think it’s the secret of teams. Even when you have the best players, if you don’t you have that feeling it’s really hard to win so I want to build something like that here. But we need time from that.”

Amorim also heaped praise on Bruno Fernandes, whose late goal made thedifference against Rangers. “He’s a top player,” the manager said of his compatriot. “People talk a lot about his frustration, always with his arms in the air. Sometimes it’s not a good thing to see but you have to see the other side. When you are under pressure, he’s always the guy that wants the ball, he’s always available. And that is so important.

“You have two sides and I have to help him manage both situations. But we are lucky to have a player like Bruno Fernandes. he’s really important and he has passion. This is so important to be a football player.”