Manchester United’s players are fully behind Ruben Amorim and have taken the blame for the club’s humiliation at the hands of Grimsby Town, insists Matthijs de Ligt.
United’s shocking defeat to the League Two club on penalties in midweek, and comments Amorim made after the game, plunged his future at Old Trafford into doubt.
But after United bounced back with a last-gasp 3-2 win over Burnley on Saturday, De Ligt said the players have taken responsibility for the club’s first-ever defeat to fourth-tier opponents.
‘As a player you are responsible for the results,’ said the Dutch defender.
‘They always speak about the manager, obviously, but I think as players we also looked at each other in the eye after Grimsby and said to each other, “guys, the performance of this week is not acceptable”.
‘It will be really, I think, bad to say that it’s the manager’s fault. It’s mostly us, and we know that. Obviously we still stand behind him, and he stands behind us, so we keep going like that. I think this result makes that feeling even more.
‘I don’t think there’s much been said because everybody knows how the feeling was. Everybody from outside could also understand what the feeling is if you lose a game like that. It’s not easy, we know that.
‘We were really disappointed, in ourselves especially, so then to win today was I think the only cure that could help a little bit with Wednesday’s defeat.’
Captain Bruno Fernandes stepped up to convert a penalty in the 97th minute, six days after missing from the spot in a draw at Fulham.
‘I couldn’t do it, I think, as a penalty taker,’ added De Ligt. ‘I’m really happy with Bruno that he stepped up to the penalty and that he scored a goal. It was really important for us.
‘I think the only thing that counted today was a win. Everybody saw how. We know we could have done that better, but the win was the most important thing.’
