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Manchester United manager rips apart his own team, admits Red Devils 'not prepared for Europe' in damning assessment
Manchester United manager had a brutal assessment of his own club, saying the Red Devils are not ready for Europe.
Manchester United are yet to register a win in the Premier League 2025-26 season as the Red Devils recently played out a goalless draw against Fulham. The uber-popular team started their season off with a 0-1 defeat against Arsenal. Amid the ongoing struggles, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim admitted that his team is not up to the mark and needs some time to have a solid base to be competitive in tournaments like the Champions League.
United, which finished 15th in the Premier League last season, failed to qualify for the top UEFA competition after losing the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur in May this year.
Amorim was candid enough to admit that Manchester United are currently not prepared to play in Europe. He also urged his players to keep fighting and earn their place in the starting XI.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the League Cup second-round tie at fourth-tier Grimsby Town, Amorim said, "I think we were not prepared to play in Europe, that is my feeling. To have strong games in the Champions League and then play the Premier League, we need time to develop as a team."
"So (the players) need to fight for their places, and then everything can change," he added, as reported by Reuters.
'Defensive mindset'
After failing to leave their opening two matches, Manchester United's manager blamed the team's defensive approach for giving the lead away against Fulham.
“The games are really, really competitive. We need time to build the base and then, in the future, to move forward. We will reach a moment where we need to have Europe for everybody to play games," said Amorim.
After the EFL Cup tie against Grimsby Town, United will take on Burnley in the Premier League on Saturday, August 30. The Red Devils are currently in 16th place in the league standings with 1 point from two matches.
According to the Guardian, Kobbie Mainoo also wants to leave United after being reduced to the sidelines by Amorim. The midfielder has not played a single minute in the team's first two games in the 2025-26 season.
