Manchester United will host Chelsea at home in the 5th round of the Premier League. Ahead of the match, multiple media outlets released the second part of Manchester United manager Amorim's pre-match press conference, where the Portuguese manager once again emphasized that he would not change his tactical system.
On rumors that a Benfica presidential candidate intends to invite him to coach
“No, my friends, there's absolutely no contact. I am the manager of Manchester United, and I will stay here unless something changes—whether it’s next month, tomorrow, or ten years from now! When the day comes that I do leave, I should take a good rest! At the moment, there is no contact at all, not even a little. Right now, José (Mourinho) manages there, and if you care about him, I believe he is happy doing his job.”
On whether Bayındır has become the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper
“No one can lock down a permanent spot. Every player has to compete for playing time. I just do my best to win games and try to find the best possible lineup for the next match. So by the end of the season, the lineup on the pitch will likely change. We just want to win, improve the understanding between the players, and get more points.”
On why the team’s improved statistics have not translated into results
"It’s about belief, confidence, fighting spirit—a combination of all those things. Sometimes what we call 'luck' is actually showing stronger belief during the game. Take Liverpool, for example; they always manage to win in the 90th minute. Consistently winning teams always give people that kind of feeling.
“But we are the exact opposite—we play well, but we always struggle at key moments. We have to change that, and that can only be achieved through winning. Look at the games against Manchester City and Fulham, and the match against Burnley where we scored but only managed a draw... We could have done better in all these moments. The problem lies with us. This week, we are training to address these issues and aiming to improve in the next game.”
On whether he is considering changing the tactical system
“No, no, no. Not even if the Pope or anyone else comes to persuade me. This is my job, my responsibility, my life. I will not easily abandon my principles, but I will refine the tactics—they will evolve constantly, but we have to take it step by step. If I were a player and the coach kept changing the system due to external pressure, the players would look at me differently. Every decision is crucial because it affects the entire team. The tactical system will evolve, and I will do things my way. Some people do it differently, but it will definitely change. I hope I have time to make that change, and it will definitely happen.”
On whether players’ fighting spirit can be cultivated
"Great question. What is fighting spirit? It shows in how we track back to defend in the box and how we put up stronger physical challenges in one or two touches when the opponent has the ball. I will work hard to analyze the details and study the situations. Ultimately, we have to change our mentality as a team because we have the ability to win.
“Last season, I said the team struggled to penetrate the final third and create chances, but that’s no longer an issue now. You can comment on the games freely, but when I watch the videos, I do it without sound, don’t check social media, and don’t consult the staff's opinions. An important fact is that we haven’t won many games yet, but we are making progress, getting closer to our goals, taking more shots, and the opponents have fewer chances than last season. In the end, if we can’t win, nothing else matters. This is a mental hurdle we have to overcome.”
On whether he is worried that Šeško will face the same lack of chances as Højlund
"If we look back at the game against Arsenal, we missed a lot of chances. We also wasted good opportunities early on in the games against Burnley and Fulham—that’s four games now. Then you say, 'Those weren’t great chances.' But Amad once received the ball between the defensive lines and created a 4v3 situation, yet we lost the ball in transition—that should have been a good chance! All these details are like that.
“You also asked me if Šeško was isolated in the box against Manchester City—and I agree. He is often there alone, while the others are around the edge of the box. But after penetrating the final third, when I look back at the box, I see only him as a target. How can we score like that? In this regard, the team is different from last season.”
On Šeško’s personality and leadership potential
“He is working hard to adapt to everything. This is a different club; he is a professional player and a perfectionist. You can feel that he is eager to be perfect tomorrow, and we have to manage the pace well. I believe he is capable, and we can discuss tactics and movement together. If we get a cross into the box, win one game, then another, the situation will change. The important thing is, as I said last season, we played poorly back then and couldn’t create chances. This season is different, and we can also avoid these current goals conceded. Yes, let’s work towards that, starting with the next game.”
On Garnacho’s return to Old Trafford
“I’m not worried about that—I just want to win the game. I don’t care who the opponents have, and I don’t care what people say if individual players perform well. They are all good players, and they will shine when the time is right. I only focus on the game and my players—that’s the only thing I care about.”
On Rashford scoring for Barcelona and whether Højlund also scored?
“Rasmus scored too, and I am happy for him. The same goes for him, my friends. You have been too harsh on him, but he scored—we have to acknowledge that.”
On Bruno Fernandes’ performance in a deeper role and his personal feelings
"If you remember, Bruno has always wanted freedom. Even when playing in the number 10 role, he often drops back to receive the ball. Maybe now he can’t make forward runs as freely as before, but he can still get close to the box and take shots. I want him to drop back a bit deeper so that we can control the ball better and dictate the tempo. We are working on it, but sometimes we feel we miss his presence in the final third—maybe because of Cunha's absence, or maybe because we still need another striker.
"I am trying to balance the squad and develop tactics. I want to field the best possible starting XI, and I can see that Bruno is only frustrated because the team isn't winning. Sometimes he wants to make forward runs, but he has an important role to play. The key is that the team plays well—if we perform well and win, he can definitely adapt to different positions."
