Ruben Amorim admitted that missing Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo has directly impacted the team's attacking quality, stressing, "No matter which team in the world, if they lose all three at once, they will face problems."
On 4 Jan 2025 GMT+7, Ruben Amorim, Manchester United manager, candidly acknowledged that the absence of Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo was a key factor behind the team's clearly faltering performance during the Christmas period. He emphasized this was not an excuse but the reality that "any team in the world would struggle."
The Red Devils had to play without Amad and Bryan due to their international duty in the Africa Cup of Nations, while Bruno Fernandes was sidelined by injury and missed the next two games. This resulted in Manchester United earning only 4 points from 3 matches and an Expected Goals (xG) total of just 3.6.
Amorim stated,
"I don't like to talk about this because it sounds like an excuse, but losing Amad, Bryan, and especially Bruno at the same time is unfortunate. They are the ones who create the most chances for the team."
The Portuguese coach also pointed out that these three not only generate play during open play but also handle all the team's set pieces.
"Who takes the set pieces? These three. When you lose them all at once, any team in the world would struggle."
Amorim concluded that understanding the true reasons behind recent performances is key, and once all three players return together, Manchester United’s attacking quality will clearly improve again.