Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt believes players need to take more responsibility for the team’s struggles than manager Ruben Amorim.
Questions about Amorim’s tactical setup have been prominent ever since he introduced United fans to his 3-4-2-1 formation in November 2024. He has so far refused to change, going as far as to warn club officials they would have to sack him if they want a new formation in their continued search for consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since the first week of the 2023–24 campaign.
While Amorim is under immense pressure, De Ligt argued the manager can only be responsible for so much and it is the players who should be facing more fire for their roles in the slump.
“It’s always easy to look to the manager, but in the end the players on the pitch have to do it,” he stressed. “We can’t say the goals we conceded, or the chances we conceded, are because of, what… I don’t know, you guys always talk about the system.
“That also has a lot to do with focus, concentration, and if that’s lacking in key moments, it’s going to make a difference.”
