Maguire makes Man Utd admission after Amorim's first game

Tom Weber

Updated: 26 Nov 2024 11:38 GMT
3 min read

Harry Maguire, Man Utd, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has admitted that the players 'overthought' Ruben Amorim's first game in charge.

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The Portuguese tactician made his debut in the Man Utd dugout on Sunday when his side travelled to Suffolk to face Ipswich Town. Despite storming into an early lead after just 81 seconds, it proved a difficult game.

In fact, Ipswich were brave and, on the whole, probably the better team. After equalising in the first half, the Tractor Boys piled the pressure on Man Utd in the second and could have won the game had it not been for goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Amorim wasn't particularly thrilled with what he saw and gave his honest thoughts after the match, insisting that the process of his players adapting to his 3-4-3 system would take time.

The 39-year-old also claimed that the players were 'overthinking' the match. "My players were thinking too much in the game, you can feel it. Not just on the ball but where they are supposed to be. It's just two days with the full team so it's really hard," he said.

Maguire on Amorim's debut

This has now been echoed by former Man Utd captain Harry Maguire, who missed Amorim's first game in charge due to injury. Speaking to Sky Sports, the defender gave his thoughts on the Portuguese's debut.

"When you come from one style to another style, like the manager said in his interview after, I think people on the pitch are thinking too much where they want to be.

"At the end of the day, it's a football match. Go and be better than your opponent and go and win the football match. Within that, play with his principles.

"I think we overthought the game against Ipswich. I think that's natural because the boys want to play the way the new manager wants. But I think we've got to let it adapt with [fluency], rather than forcing it."