Ruben Amorim has admitted that he is “quite happy” for two of his Manchester United players after the FA Cup defeat to Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup on the weekend after Ruben Amorim’s men fell short on penalties in the fifth-round match at home.
Calvin Bassey fired Fulham into a first-half lead at Old Trafford before Bruno Fernandes netted the all-important equaliser for the Red Devils in the second half.
United and Fulham played out an additional 30 minutes in extra time before the lacklustre FA Cup tie was finally settled on penalties.
All four of Fulham’s penalty-kick takers successfully converted past Andre Onana, while United’s opening three spot-kick takers beat Bernd Leno in the shootout.
However, Bernd Leno went on to deny Joshua Zirkzee and Victor Lindelof from the spot-kick and United’s FA Cup title defence this season came to an end.
Ruben Amorim’s last hope of capturing major silverware in the 2024-25 campaign now relies on United lifting the Europa League trophy.
Fulham, on the other hand, have now punched their ticket to the quarter-finals after knocking FA Cup holders United out of the competition.
Amorim on two Man Utd players
Speaking after the penalty shootout defeat at Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim singled out Manchester United talents Chido Obi-Martin and Ayden Heaven.
The 40-year-old United manager brought Chido Obi-Martin in the 68th minute and replaced the 17-year-old former Arsenal academy product with Rasmus Hojlund.
Amorim, meanwhile, handed ex-Arsenal youth academy player Ayden Heaven his United debut after he replaced Harry Maguire in the 90th minute.
Chido Obi impressed United fans with his performance against Fulham, while Heaven equally received praise from Red Devils supporters for his display in the FA Cup.
“They are players with talent and then, when you have this moment with some injuries, they have to be ready,” Amorim said, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“It’s our tradition to put players into play, especially in this moment.
“We have to focus on everything, the future is right there and the young kids can feel the club and can change things sometimes for us, without buying players.
“And I think Chido did really well today. Of course, he was a little bit naïve in some moments, but you felt that, inside the box, he wants the ball – something the strikers have and he has.
“Ayden was really relaxed during the game so I’m quite happy for them but it’s a tough first [home] game for them.”
Amorim on Man Utd mistake vs Fulham
Amorim could not hold back his frustrations at United showing a major weakness from set pieces once again after Calvin Bassey’s opener at Old Trafford.
“We managed to score in the second half but that goal, from a set-piece, we knew, at half-time, it would be harder for us, we’d have to press a little bit higher,” he said after the match.
“We managed to do it, we scored and I think we had the best chances in the game. Sometimes, we dropped a little bit.
“We cannot control all [of] the game; we cannot press high all the game but we managed to understand the game.”
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