Hull City manager Ruben Selles reacts to his side’s 1-0 defeat against Preston North End at Deepdale:
“We created situations to score at least one goal and then in one moment we went 1-0 down and never recovered in terms of the score. I think we were competitive enough.”
“We created situations, it’s not just the situation with Regan (Slater) after five minutes. We created other situations and we need to make it count, but we created the situations so we just need to work on the details.
“You come away from difficult games in difficult competitions and first of all we need to be competitive and second of all we need to win football matches.
“Without being competitive we are not going to win games. We need to continue developing that competitiveness and in games like today, when we have the opportunities, we have to make it count and then we’ll be in a better place.
“We have to try to not make excuses. We know we can do things. Now we have to do it to the very end.”
Preston North End secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Hull City at Deepdale, with Ruben Selles scoring the only goal of the game. The Spanish forward’s strike proved to be the difference between the two sides, but Selles believes that his team could have put the game to bed much earlier if they had been more clinical in front of goal.
Speaking after the match, Selles said, “I’m delighted to have scored the winning goal today, but I think we could have won by a much bigger margin if we had been more ruthless in front of goal. We created plenty of chances, but we need to be more clinical in our finishing if we want to secure more comfortable victories in the future.”
The result sees Preston move up the table and continue their impressive run of form, but Selles knows that they will need to improve their finishing if they are to challenge for promotion this season. With tough fixtures coming up, including a clash against league leaders Fulham, Selles and his teammates will be looking to sharpen their shooting boots in training to ensure they make the most of their opportunities in front of goal.
As Selles calls for more clinical finishing from his side, Preston fans will be hoping that the message is heeded and that their team can continue to pick up vital points as they push for a place in the top six.
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Preston vs Hull City, Ruben Selles, football, Championship, match result, clinical finishing, goal, highlights, post-match analysis
Amorim has suggested his omission is down to performances in training rather than the interview in which Rashford said he wants to leave the club, and the United head coach said he’s happy to leave the 27-year-old on the sidelines until the issue is rectified.
“When I feel that it is the right moment I will change something until then I will continue to think about what is the best for the team,” Amorim said when asked about Rashford’s situation.
“I speak with him every day, not about the interview but about the performance.
“It’s my decision. He wants to play. He is trying. It’s my decision, only my decision. I’m trying to do things my way. And it’s the only way I know if I don’t do that I will lose myself and I will not lose myself. I know what I’m doing.”
After back-to-back defeats to Tottenham and Bournemouth, United face Wolves on Boxing Day.
Asked what Rashford needs to do before being considered for a return at Molineux, Amorim said: “Be the best that he can be.
“If you have big talents, big performance, big responsibility, big engagement, push forward everybody in this moment. And some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time. So this is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. So we have to face it and be strong in this moment. That’s what I want for every player on the team.”
Amorim’s news conferences have been dominated by questions about Rashford since he was axed from the squad for the Manchester derby.
But he insists the England forward is not becoming a distraction, particularly because players and staff “understand” his stance.
“It’s not [a distraction] for me,” said Amorim.
‘Not for the other players because everybody is there every day during training, they understand. That is the key point. For the media and for the other people I cannot control that.
“But I’m really focused and they know, I’m so clear in my message, everybody in Carrington knows what I’m talking about and what I want from Marcus and everybody else. So it’s not a distraction for us, maybe it’s for the media but that is not my concern.”
In a shocking turn of events, Marcus Rashford finds himself on the outskirts at Manchester United due to manager Ruben Amorim’s high standards. Despite being a key player for the team in recent seasons, Rashford has reportedly fallen out of favor with Amorim, who is known for his strict adherence to discipline and performance.
Rashford, who has been a fan favorite at Old Trafford, is now facing the possibility of being exiled from the first team as Amorim looks to instill a new culture of excellence and accountability. The young forward’s lackluster performances and off-field behavior have led to tensions between him and the manager, with rumors swirling about a potential transfer in the near future.
Fans are divided over the situation, with some calling for Rashford to be given another chance to prove himself, while others support Amorim’s tough stance on upholding the club’s standards. Only time will tell if Rashford can earn his place back in the team or if he will be forced to seek opportunities elsewhere. Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
Rashford has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances for the club since making his debut in 2016, having come through the United youth ranks.
However, while he managed 30 goals in all competitions in 2022-23, he has struggled for form in three of the previous four seasons and attracted criticism from pundits and fans for a number of laboured displays during that time.
Amorim said he can “separate” the decisions of those advising Rashford from his relationship with the player.
“At the moment I’m focused on improving Marcus,” he added.
“We need a talented guy like Marcus. I forget the interview now and see what I see on the pitch.”
Regarding Rashford’s future, the Portuguese boss said it is for him and the club “to deal with that when the time comes”.
Speaking to the wider media before United face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday, Amorim denied the talk around Rashford was a distraction, adding: “Some guys have a big responsibility here because they have been here for a long time.
“If you have big talents, [we need] big performances, big responsibility, big engagement to push everybody forward in this moment. Like any other player, [we want him to be] the best he can be.
“This is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. We have to face it and be strong.”
United’s humbling defeat by the Cherries means they head into Christmas in 13th place in the Premier League, after Wolves they host Newcastle on 30 December.
It will be their lowest position in the table at this stage since they were 15th in 1986, just over two months into Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign as manager.
Amorim had to halt his post-match news conference on Sunday because of a leak in the ceiling of the press room.
Asked later how he intended to reverse fortunes at Old Trafford, the former Sporting coach pointed to the ceiling and said: “If I knew, I would solve all the problems of this club, even this.
“I know what I am going to do. That is so clear for me. I will not say I feel relaxed because I’m really frustrated. It’s a very difficult moment but we will solve problems step by step and find answers for everything.”
In a recent press conference, Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim questioned the decisions being made by the people surrounding Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford. Amorim expressed his concerns about the choices being made by Rashford’s advisors and agents, suggesting that they may not have the player’s best interests at heart.
Amorim’s comments come in the wake of Rashford’s inconsistent performances for Manchester United this season, with the forward struggling to make an impact on the pitch. The Portuguese manager suggested that Rashford’s off-field distractions may be affecting his on-field performances, and called on the player to focus on his football and make better choices.
While Amorim did not provide specific examples of the choices he was referring to, it is clear that he believes Rashford could benefit from surrounding himself with a more supportive and focused team. The Sporting Lisbon boss’s comments have sparked speculation about the future of the talented young forward, with many questioning whether Rashford needs to make changes in order to fulfill his potential at Manchester United.
As Rashford continues to navigate the pressures of professional football, it remains to be seen how he will respond to Amorim’s comments and whether he will take steps to address the concerns raised. One thing is for certain – the spotlight will remain firmly on Rashford as he seeks to prove his doubters wrong and fulfill his promise as one of England’s brightest young talents.
Ruben Amorim says Marcus Rashford has a “big responsibility” to help Manchester United out of one of the club’s lowest moments by performing at his best, with the manager insisting the forward wants to play.
Rashford has been excluded from United’s past three match-day squads owing to his performance in training and for “selection reasons”, the head coach has said. Amorim takes his side to Wolves on Boxing Day after the Carabao Cup defeat at Tottenham and the 3-0 loss against Bournemouth in the Premier League at Old Trafford last Sunday.
United are 13th after 17 matches, meaning they will be in the bottom half on Christmas Day for the first time since 1989. The head coach urged Rashford, who has been at the club since he was seven, to show leadership.
“Some guys have a big responsibility here because they are here for a long time,” Amorim said.
“This is maybe one of the lowest moments in our club. We have to face it and be strong in this moment. That’s what I want for every player. Be the best that they can be. If you have big talent [produce a] big performance, take a big responsibility, have big engagement, push forward everybody in this moment.”
Amorim has questioned the choices of people around Rashford after the player gave an interview to the journalist Henry Winter, two days after United beat Manchester City 2-1, in which the forward said he was “ready for a new challenge”. Amorim said Rashford wants to come back into the team. “He wants to play. He is trying. It’s only my decision. When I feel that is the right moment I will change something. Until then I will continue to think about what is the best for the team.”
Amorim does not believe the Rashford situation is a distraction. “I don’t think so. Not for me, not for the other players because everybody is there every day during training [and] they understand. That is the key point. The media and other people, I cannot control that.”
The coach denied he had held a one-to-one discussion with Rashford regarding his situation. “I speak with him every day, not about the interview but about the performance. I spoke with a lot of players individually during training so I’m trying to do things my way. It’s the only way I know. If I don’t I will lose myself.”
Amorim has been in charge for six league games, winning two and losing three. He was asked why United are so low in the table. “That’s a difficult question to answer and we have to know not to let this become normal,” he said. “I understand that it’s a tough moment. Since the first day that I arrived, it’s been on me because I’m responsible for the team.”
As Amorim answered, water leaked from the roof of the media room. He pointed to the ceiling. “If I knew [the answer], I would solve all the problems of this club, even this [leak]. I know what I’m going to do. That’s why I feel so … I will not say relaxed because I’m really frustrated, also like the fans, but I know what to do.
“We have to solve some problems step by step. But it’s a very difficult moment. We understand the fans [being unhappy] and we will fight. The present is this. What we have to do for the future is to make sure this does not happen again.”
Ruben Amorim, the manager of Sporting Lisbon, has challenged Marcus Rashford to step up and show leadership at Manchester United. Amorim, who previously worked with Rashford during his time at Sporting, believes that the young forward has the potential to be a great leader for the Red Devils.
In a recent interview, Amorim praised Rashford’s talent and work ethic, but also emphasized the importance of leadership on and off the pitch. He urged Rashford to take more responsibility and be a vocal presence in the United dressing room.
With United going through a period of transition under new manager Ralf Rangnick, Amorim believes that Rashford has the opportunity to establish himself as a key figure at the club. He pointed to Rashford’s experience and success at the highest level as evidence of his potential to lead by example.
As one of the most senior players in the United squad, Amorim believes that Rashford can have a positive impact on his teammates and help them navigate the challenges ahead. He hopes that Rashford will embrace this opportunity and take his game to the next level both on and off the pitch.
It remains to be seen how Rashford will respond to Amorim’s challenge, but one thing is clear – the potential for leadership is there, and it’s up to Rashford to seize the opportunity and make his mark at Manchester United.
