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Jamie Carragher missed the point during his 'bizarre' Ruben Amorim rant about Manchester United

-Credit:Sky Sports
-Credit:Sky Sports


There are more bad football pundits than pundits worth listening to. Jamie Carragher is one of the best in the business and provides valuable insight on Sky Sports, but his analysis of Ruben Amorim this week was wide of the mark and Manchester United fans have hit back at his comments.

United lost 3-1 to Brighton at the weekend and Amorim's scathing assessment of his players dominated headlines on Monday. "We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United," said Amorim at his press conference. "I know you want headlines, but I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines."

Carragher made an appearance on Monday Night Football and slammed Amorim for producing that quote. "I don't know Manchester United's history as well as Gary Neville, but I must say I think it was one of the most bizarre and ridiculous things I've ever heard a manager say," said Carragher.

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"I mean, why would you make a comment like that? It's the type of comment a pundit would make, someone in my position, and you would have to defend that in some ways.

"I don't know what he gains from that and what the benefit is. We all know it's a poor United team and in some ways, we're talking about United today and because of what the manager said.

"They lost another home game to Brighton and have done that in the last few years anyway. We know it's a tough season and they're a poor team. He's just blew something up.

"The quote will follow him for the rest of the season and when he said that, he told journalists 'I'll give you a headline', but why he would want to do that as a manager, I will never know."

Carragher continued: "It certainly doesn't help you confidence-wise, even going forward belief-wise. Listen, I don't have much sympathy for the players in the United dressing room because they've been a joke for a few years now and a few weeks ago, after they played Liverpool, there was an interview with Lisandro Martinez talking about mentality, saying it was different today.

"I nearly burst out laughing when I saw that, to be honest. The amount of times United have basically thrown in the towel and had bad performances over the last few years.

Amorim was right about this United side.
Amorim was right about this United side.

"I don't have much sympathy for the players, but from the manager's point of view, how can he go into the dressing room from now until the end of the season and try build them up and give them belief then can beat whoever they play, if he's said they are the worst team in United's history?"

There is a lot to break down from Carragher's rant but it makes sense to start with the elephant in the room: United are 13th in the Premier League, they have a -5 goal difference and have lost half of their league games at Old Trafford, their most from the opening 12 games since 1893/94.

What is Amorim supposed to say? Is he supposed to pretend everything is rosy and there is nothing to worry about? United are unrecognisable and the truth cannot be shied away from.

This is objectively one of the worst United teams of all time and Amorim addressed that. His predecessor, Erik ten Hag, was rightly hammered by insisting United were heading in the "right direction". Ten Hag sounded delusional and needed men in white coats to take him away.

Amorim isn't stupid and wouldn't be daft enough to try pull the wool over supporters' eyes when they watch players disgrace the shirt almost each week. It was refreshing to hear a United manager say it exactly how it is and send a message to the board about the situation he is facing.

The 39-year-old was justified to make the comment and it should have grabbed Sir Jim Ratcliffe's attention, if the British billionaire didn't already know he needed to put his hands in his pockets this summer.

When you have the privilege of attending Amorim's press conferences and sitting a few yards away from him, you appreciate his intelligence and his impressive communication skills.

Amorim is a savvy communicator. He produced the quote because he wants to provoke a response from his players and see which members of the dressing room are up for the fight.

Any player who heard that quote and sulked shouldn't be at the biggest club in England. They should be offended, their egos should be hurt and desperate to improve the club's position. There will be a major squad clear out and Amorim is learning about which players he should keep.

Before United's game against Liverpool at Anfield, Amorim said his players were "afraid" and they responded by producing the type of performance that should be the benchmark.

They need to respond again when facing Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday.