We lack a lot of things – Ruben Amorim frustrated after Man Utd defeat to Wolves

By Simon Peach, PA Chief Football Writer

Ruben Amorim admitted Manchester United “lack a lot” as their ongoing struggles in front of goal saw them return to earth with a bump in Sunday’s Premier League defeat at home to Wolves.

Three days on from the dramatic 5-4 Europa League quarter-final comeback win against Lyon, the rotated Red Devils’ positive performance counted for nothing due to their futility in the final third.

Out-of-sorts Rasmus Hojlund and his team-mates were unable to find the net at Old Trafford, where substitute Pablo Sarabia’s free-kick secured a 1-0 triumph as Wolves won five consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since 1970.

Amorim, by contrast, has only won six of his 22 league matches since taking charge in November and his frustration was palpable after United’s 15th loss of the season – a club record in the Premier League era.

“If you look at the game, we were the better team but in the end it doesn’t matter,” the head coach said. “If we don’t score goals, nothing matters because in the end it is the result that counts, especially in these kinds of moments.

“We create a lot of chances, we controlled the game. We blocked some good players from the opponent and then one set-piece changes the game and that’s it. It’s really frustrating to end the game like this.

“We say to the fans the truth: that we lack a lot of things in our team, that we miss chances, that if we don’t score goals we are not going to win.

“We have a lot to do and to focus on in improving the team step by step and understanding that until the end of the league it’s going to be like this and then we need to do something.”

Europa League semi-final opponents Athletic Bilbao will not be overly concerned by United right now, especially with striker Hojlund having scored just once in 28 games.

Asked if he could take him out of the spotlight, even with Joshua Zirkzee’s season-ending injury, Amorim said: “No. I think if you look at the games, we have several players that miss big chances, not just Rasmus.

“But of course, Rasmus, the aim is to score goals because he’s a striker, but it’s a team thing. I already said that. Our team should score more goals and it’s not just Rasmus missing chances.

“The only way I know is to work on him, show him the videos. Like you said, he needs to score a goal – he will not score if he is out (of the team) so I try to manage that during games. But he needs to score one. Maybe that’s all a striker needs.”

Wolves moved level on 38 points with 14th-placed United as Vitor Pereira oversaw the club’s first double in this fixture since 1979-80.

“Today was not the best game that we played,” he said. “But it was a game with a true spirit.

“The players inside the pitch, outside the pitch, because the players that came from the bench came to help the team.

“Sometimes if we don’t play in our level, we must win with our hearts, with our souls, with our spirit and that’s what happened today. And in the right moment, when we had the chance, boom, we won the game.”