MANCHESTER :Manchester United have far bigger things to think about than the Europa League final, chiefly the club’s worst top-flight season since they were relegated in 1974, manager Ruben Amorim said after his team reached another low point on Sunday.
“Everybody here has to think seriously about a lot of things,” the Portuguese coach, whose side suffered a 2-0 Premier League loss at home to West Ham United, said.
“Everybody is thinking about the (Europa League) final. The final is not the issue. We have bigger things to think about.
“I’m talking about myself and the culture in the club and the culture in the team. We need to change that. It’s a decisive moment in the history of the club.”
Amorim was hired in November to replace Erik ten Hag but there has been no improvement in the Premier League with his team in 16th position after 17 defeats from 36 games.
His side have only beaten relegated duo Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the league since Jan. 26 and are on their joint worst winless run in the Premier League of seven games.
Their nine home defeats are a joint club record and while victory in the Europa League final over fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur would land United in the Champions League, Amorim said no one should be fooled about the state of affairs at England’s joint most successful club.
“The final is by far the smallest problem in our club,” he said. “We need to change something that is deeper than this. Playing in the Premier League and Champions League for us is the moon. We need to know that.
“I’m not concerned about the final. They will be focused but I don’t know what is best, if it’s playing in the Champions League or not.”
Amorim suggested defeats have become so common in the Premier League that United’s big-club mentality was under serious threat.
“We are losing the feeling that we are a massive club and it’s the end of the world to lose a game at home,” he said.
“If we are not scared of losing a game as Manchester United and don’t have that fear anymore, it is the most dangerous thing a big club can have.”
