That’s what I want from them- Ruben Amorim on Amad and Hojlund bust-up

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim believes it is “ideal” that Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo had a disagreement at the conclusion of their 2-1 victory at Viktoria Plzen.

Even though they achieved a comeback 2-1 win in the Europa League on Thursday, match-winner Hojlund expressed his displeasure with his teammate Amad when the final whistle blew. The striker seemed to confront the Ivory Coast international for not passing him the ball in the closing moments of the game. However, rather than criticizing the two players, head coach Amorim viewed the situation positively.

He commented on their intense exchange:

“For me, it’s perfect. We need to feel something. If we need to fight each other, it’s like a family. For me, it’s a very, very good sign. We need to feel something and that is important.“

When asked if their disagreement showed that they cared, Amorim added: “That is clear. When you don’t care, you don’t do nothing. When you care, you fight with your brother, with your father, with your mother. For me, it’s a very good sign. It’s a normal thing, it’s a positive thing, a healthy thing, so I let the players and the captain (Bruno Fernandes) to calm down the things. If I think it’s too much, I will go inside the dressing room but it’s their space. They have to talk, to fight and for me, it’s a very important thing. I am happy that we win the game and still fight each other. That is a very good thing. When you win and you fight with your team-mate because you want to score one more, for me it’s a very good day for us.”

In the past, players from United have faced criticism for lacking effort and placing blame on their manager, even as they continued to stay at the club despite their shortcomings. However, events like this might indicate a shift in attitude at the Red Devils. Nonetheless, it is still quite early in the Amorim era.

Currently, United sits in one of the top eight spots, which would secure them a place in the last 16 of the Europa League, and they will aim to achieve two victories in a row when they face rivals Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.