Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has said the closeness of his squad is “really important”
to help young players like Leny Yoro navigate difficult games and grow.
The 20-year-old has had an encouraging start to his Reds career, integrating himself as one of the key figures in Amorim's defence since joining as a teenager in the summer of 2024 from Lille.
But after committing a foul that led to Crystal Palace being awarded a penalty at the weekend, the Frenchman looked downbeat coming off the pitch, before being lifted back up by Mason Mount.
In his press conference ahead of our Premier League meeting with West Ham United at Old Trafford, Amorim was asked about how the centre-back is getting on, along with fielding questions on player availability, Matheus Cunha, the role of Diogo Dalot and preparing young figures like Shea Lacey to be around the first team.
Keep scrolling to read, and watch, everything the boss had to say...
Ruben, the BBC have done an investigation around social-media posts on a specific weekend, the game against Tottenham. I think, given the extreme reactions that you get to defeat and victory at this club and every other club, you're not surprised to know that managers, yourself, Premier League managers, women's managers, get a lot of this abuse. Could you just explain from your perspective how you deal with that and what that feels like and how you think about dealing with that in terms of your family as well?
“First of all, nowadays it’s normal in any profession. When you are exposed, like we are exposed, it's harder, but I don't read it. I'm not faking it. I don't read it. I protect myself. I don't watch TV when they are talking about Manchester, not because I don't agree, most of the times I agree with a lot of things that you say, guys, but it's a way of me being healthy because when we lose, when we draw, when I know that we play bad, my feeling as a coach is enough. I don't need any other feelings about around the club. So, for me, the only way, there is no other way, the only way is [to] protect myself. Of course, I lose money in sponsors in Instagram. I could win a lot of money, but for me, the quality of life, the protection of my family, the way I can live a normal life, because I guarantee you, I live a normal life, it's not worth it. Some more dollars or pounds is not worth it. So, I protect myself and no one can be tougher than me when we lose and when we don't play well. So, that is the only way, but it's normal nowadays, it's really normal to have that abuse. So that's, for me, it's the only way to survive in this world.”
We've seen Matheus Cunha is in training, I presume he's fit for tomorrow and what's the rest of the squad looking like?
“We have two doubts for the game. I will not tell you today because we'll change the way we are going to approach [the game]. Let's see if they can play tomorrow, but the rest of the squad is good. Matheus is back, but I have two players that maybe they cannot play. Harry Maguire is still out, and [Benjamin] Sesko.”
Just on Matheus Cunha, obviously, this was a frustrating setback. What have you made of his start and how many more levels has he got to go?
“I think he has more levels to go. He's in the different club, different pressure, but I think he [has] coped with that really well. He was struggling because he was not scoring and because of social media abuse [smiles]. No, he was thinking too much about the numbers, but the influence that he has in the team, is so important for us. But I think Cunha has so much to grow defensively and offensively.”
Leny looked a bit upset when he came off on Sunday. Just wondered first of all, how is he? But then also, we saw Mason Mount after the game comfort him a little bit. So, what does that also say about the culture and maybe how close the group are becoming?
“It's really important. Of course, I also spoke with him because he thinks too much. He makes the mistakes in the game and then he struggles because he's too young and he wants to do everything so well. And he’s growing. He’s growing in one moment that everyone here is growing with games, with setbacks, so it's not easy for him as a young guy. And of course, he cannot give that to the people, the way he came to the bench. So, he understands that, but he was really frustrated. On the good side, it shows that he cares and he was knowing that was not the best game, but he did some things well, and I show him that also, so he's fit and ready for the next challenge.”
I know we've asked you a few times about Shea Lacey, and it seems like he could be getting closer potentially to a debut. You talked a lot about the players playing for Manchester United, the pressure it comes with. Just wonder how ready do you think he is for that kind of limelight? And how do you prepare young players for that attention that they'll receive once they start playing in the first team?
“First of all, trying to explain every day how to play, because if you are comfortable, you have not many doubts when you are playing, that will help the kids to play. Then it’s towards the physicality, to understand that when he's training with us, give him time with us, to understand that the speed of the pressure, the moment to have the ball, to pass the ball, it’s completely different, if you compare to Under-21s. So, that is the only way that I know how to prepare a kid to play for a club, especially for this club. So, we’ll have to go there, to have the chance. I don't know when, but he’s ready to play.”
Ruben, the next challenge is West Ham, and Nuno [Espirito Santo] has recently gone in there. What have you made of what he's done and the changes he's made, and what kind of challenge do you face?
“I had no doubt that he would have success, no matter what the club [is], he is really experienced. He knows how to work with different squads. He understands really well the league and that is a plus when you are a manager. We know that it's going to be tough. He’s really smart preparing the games, understanding the environment of the game, who has more responsibility, all these things around the game, he’s really good on that. Of course, the preparation is about the opponent, but I'm really focused on what we need to do, what we need to improve, especially if you look at our first half against Crystal Palace. So, it's going to be a tough match.”
Can I ask you about Diogo [Dalot]? His role in the team this season. Him, and his playing in your squad, what’s he bringing to you? What could be better?
“I think he can do a lot of things, like other players, better. I think when you see a very good game of Diogo, he can show that he has the quality and sometimes it drops a little bit, but if you look at our team, everyone is a little bit like that. He’s really powerful. He’s good on set-pieces, and you have to understand that in this league, [that] is really important. He can play both sides. It depends on what you want, the system that you are going to face, and to have that ability of playing both sides, changing position during the game, that can help you also, even to think about the squad for the league. So, it's one player, he’s [an] international, always playing for [the] national team. So, it's a very important player for us, but he needs to improve like any other player.”