Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expressed his frustration and anger after his team drew 1-1 against West Ham at Old Trafford on Thursday, December 4, 2025. The result saw United miss an opportunity to move into the Premier League's top five. Diogo Dalot's second-half goal was canceled out by Soungoutou Magassa's late equalizer from a corner, earning the Hammers a point.
Amorim didn't hide his disappointment, stating the team "should have closed the game" after taking the lead. He felt United lost control after scoring, failing to maintain possession and defend effectively outside their box. "We are really inconsistent," Amorim lamented, pointing to the team's struggles with winning second balls and defending long balls. He added, "After the first goal, we lost some second balls. We tried to defend all the time far from the goal".
The manager also alluded to a lack of killer instinct within the team. He voiced his concern about his squad’s inability to capitalize on leads, referencing similar situations against Tottenham and Nottingham Forest in recent weeks. Amorim stated that the game was there to be won and under control, expressing his frustration that they "couldn't maintain the ball and again we lost two points".
The draw against West Ham followed a 1-0 defeat at home to Everton, where United played against 10 men for almost the entire match. This inconsistency is becoming a worrying trend for United, who beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park prior to the West Ham game.
Amorim's team selection also raised eyebrows, with Ayden Heaven making his first Premier League start in place of Leny Yoro, while Matthijs de Ligt was out with a minor injury. Heaven's debut was shaky, as he received a yellow card early in the game. Amorim substituted Heaven at halftime for Yoro.
The manager's substitutions during the game drew criticism, with some suggesting they contributed to the loss of momentum and ultimately cost United the victory. Some observers felt that the substitutions were too negative, which impacted the team's mentality, making them think the game was already won.
The result leaves Manchester United in eighth place in the Premier League. With a game against Wolves, who are near the bottom of the league, next, Amorim will be demanding a much-improved performance and a victory to get their top-four ambitions back on track. He knows that dropping points in these kinds of games can create a significant distance between them and the top of the table.
