Ruben Amorim rues missed opportunities as depleted Man Utd lose again

Ruben Amorim pointed the finger at missed chances after Manchester United's 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur condemned his side to a 12th Premier League defeat of the season.

The Red Devils were without a number of first-team regulars for their trip to north London, most notably missing Amad Diallo, who could miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury sustained in training.

Amorim was also without first-choice central midfield duo Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo - the latter is expected to miss around six weeks of action - while long-term injury casualty Lisandro Martinez was joined on the sidelines by Leny Yoro.

James Maddison's goal proved to be the difference as Tottenham picked up a much-needed win, but United had enough chances to get at least a point. Alejandro Garnacho inexplicably blazed over from eight yards out and missed other chances to get the Red Devils on the scoresheet, and Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were also unable to find a way past player of the match Guglielmo Vicario.

Speaking after the game, Amorim addressed what went wrong for his team: "In the end, they score, we didn't. That was the big difference in the game. We had a lot of chances but in the end they scored one and we didn't," he told Sky Sports.

"The first step is to create situations. We have had games where we are around the box and not created situations. This game we create situations. But in this game with two teams not doing well, one goal was always going to make the difference.

"You start with one idea. We were asking about a long week for so long. And we worked our principles but day after day you lose players that change your approach to the game. I could not play the same way with Joshua [Zirkzee] as I can with Amad [Diallo].

"Sometimes you want Bruno [Fernandes] to reach the ball in the build up because he's really good switching the play. But then you want Bruno also to press and it's really hard. And when you are changing all the time to get the players to react to the base, it's really hard.

"4-4-2 in the low block is harder to play against this team than what we did today, that's my opinion. They are so open and stretch the team. What you see guys and what you discuss every week, I also see. I have a lot of problems, my job is so, so hard here. But I stick with my beliefs."

United's boss was forced to put eight teenagers on his substitutes bench, such was the extent of the injury and illness crisis, with defender Victor Lindelof the only senior player the former Sporting CP boss could turn to. In the end, he opted to bring on Chido Obi for his Premier League debut in the final minute, but made no other changes.

"They will play during this season," Amorim said of his youngsters. "We will have games in the cup and Europe and they will play. I feel it, I think everybody can feel it, we are near the goal, I don't want to change the players when we are near it.

"You grow and you learn a lot of things. We just need to face it and not run away, that is my feeling. Today will hurt, it is a tough pain to lose so many games, but then you can change things in a week."

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