Rúben Amorim backs star for success despite major Manchester United frustrations vs Arsenal

Rúben Amorim has backed one of his stars for success in the coming months despite major frustrations ahead of the Premier League tie with Arsenal.

Rúben Amorim’s first defeat as Manchester United head coach came on Wednesday evening as his side fell 2-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

United set up with a disciplined defensive strategy to stifle Arsenal’s high-flying attack, a tactic that proved effective in the first half, albeit at the expense of their attacking creativity.

Read More: Ruben Amorim was left ‘furious’ with Man United star after key moment vs Arsenal

The second half told a different story, as Arsenal’s dominance in set-piece situations paid off, with the home side scoring twice from corners to secure the win.

There were positives for United despite the loss, including a commanding performance from Harry Maguire and a promising debut for Leny Yoro. However, Amorim will need to address key areas of concern as the team looks to bounce back in the coming weeks.

Amorim’s backing for Shaw

Ahead of the tie, it was confirmed that Luke Shaw had suffered yet another injury set-back following his first minutes for the club since March.

Shaw had played just over 90 minutes across three games for Rúben Amorim, but was ruled out of the Arsenal game due to injury. Ahead of the Arsenal game, the 39-year-old was asked for his words to Shaw, to which he explained he feels Shaw can still become an essential cog for United.

“What I said to him, as a coach is, that since I am here, I saw him in the medical department,” Amorim told Amazon Prime Video. “I saw him in the gym. I saw him losing weight. I saw him training.

“So he did everything right. Sometimes, when you have one or two injuries, it’s really hard to recover.

“If he continues with this behaviour, doing everything he can, I will be here. All the staff will be here, as long as it takes.

“We believe a lot in him, he’s so important for our team. For the future, I see in this team, Luke is a very important player for us.”

Shaw’s message

Before the game, Luke Shaw released a statement on his social media, saying that he is “devastated” about his latest set-back.

“Hi guys, it’s hurting a lot having to write this as I really thought I had got through my recent struggles and was on a positive path going forward, but unfortunately I’ve had a small setback,” he explained.

“I’ve been through a lot and had a lot of ups and downs but this has definitely been my toughest period. I’m absolutely devastated and it’s extremely tough to come to terms with reality at this moment in time.

“I understand there is gunna be people frustrated, angry, disappointed and I understand all that. There is no one feeling that more than me at this moment in time.

“But what I can promise is I will do everything I can to come back better soon to help this club achieve its ambitions this season. Thank you to everyone for the support. It really doesn’t go unnoticed and I really do appreciate it.”

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