Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim took full responsibility for his team’s ongoing issues with set-pieces following their frustrating 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Saturday. The loss, which marked Forest’s first win at United’s home ground in 29 years, further exposed United’s defensive vulnerabilities, especially in dead-ball situations, an area that has plagued them this season.
The match got off to a disastrous start for United, with Forest scoring early through Nikola Milenkovic’s header from a corner in the second minute. It was the third set-piece goal conceded by United this week alone, following similar defensive lapses in their midweek loss to Arsenal, where the Gunners capitalized on two corners to secure victory. Despite Rasmus Højlund’s equalizer later in the first half, United’s defensive frailties continued to haunt them in the second period.
Amorim, clearly frustrated by the recurrence of these issues, admitted responsibility for the team’s struggles in this department. “When this happens, it’s more my fault because I’m responsible,” he stated, acknowledging the team’s failure to address the problem despite focused training on set-piece defense. “We try to do it the best way; we did a lot of work in this area because we saw it in Arsenal. It was really hard in this context,” he added, reflecting the difficulties in rectifying the ongoing issues.
The defeat also placed more scrutiny on United’s defensive setup and their goalkeeper, Andre Onana, who faced criticism for a costly error. Onana allowed Morgan Gibbs-White’s shot to slip past him in the second half, which led to Forest’s second goal. Despite this mistake, Amorim was quick to defend his keeper, emphasizing that it was a team issue rather than an individual fault. “We lost the ball in one transition, and then a lot of open space, and in the end, they score. So all the team suffered that goal,” he said. He also reminded the media that Onana had been a crucial player in many of their previous victories.
Despite a late goal from Bruno Fernandes to reduce the deficit, United’s defense failed to hold strong, and Chris Wood’s eventual winner sealed the three points for Forest. With this defeat, United now have six league losses this season, leaving them in 13th place and still struggling for consistency. Amorim emphasized the need for collective improvement across the squad, saying, “We lose as a team; we have to improve in all aspects.”
United’s defensive woes, particularly from set-pieces, are becoming a serious concern for the team, and with Amorim taking responsibility for the situation, it’s clear that changes are needed to rectify these recurring issues. The manager’s acknowledgment of his role in the team’s troubles is an important first step, but it remains to be seen whether they can address these flaws in time to salvage their season.
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