Ruben Amorim says Manchester United, City lack quality for ‘spectacle’

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes the Manchester derby between his team and City lacked quality for a spectacle after a disappointing goalless draw at Old Trafford on Sunday. The Manchester derby seemed to have lost its cachet in the recent past.

Manchester United is struggling in 13th place in the Premier League standings, which Amorim described as the worst season in the club’s history. Manchester City, on the other hand, are in fifth place in the points table and are in danger of losing out on a spot in next year’s Champions League.

“We are not in the best moments to give the best spectacle to every fan,” said Amorim. “I understand that we are doing the worst season in history. Manchester City won everything in the past, this season is struggling.

“When we are not fighting for the big things, of course, it’s different. But you have to look at the context of the game.”

In the last dozen matches across all competitions, the Red Devils have managed only four victories. Furthermore, they haven’t yet won back-to-back matches in the ongoing season.

“In the moment it’s still really hard every day, but of course, you can imagine that the next season is going to be so much different,” said the United boss. “Everybody here is suffering a lot with all these changes and we have to show something in the next year, so right away.

“In the good days you think like that — that it was important to come in the middle of the season, to work with the players, to improve the players as soon as possible, to start the next season with a better idea of what we want.

“Today was that day that we played well. Of course you can feel it in the game, it’s not there, in the top level, the intensity, but you can also understand the context of both teams at this moment.”

Manchester United will next take on Lyon in the first-leg quarterfinal of the Europa League on Thursday.