Ruben Amorim hit back at Wayne Rooney's comments that he was “naive” to talk about Manchester United winning the Premier League shortly after they exited the FA Cup to Fulham, saying it was still a long-term goal.
United are 14th in the 20-team Premier League, and suffered another low at Old Trafford on Sunday when they lost to Fulham on penalties in their fifth-round tie.
Bruno Fernandes cancelled out Calvin Bassey's opener to take the tie to extra time and a shoot-out. Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno emerged as the hero, saving Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee’s spot-kicks as the Cottagers won 4-3.
That leaves winning the Europa League as United's only hope of silverware this season. They face Spanish side Real Sociedad in the last 16, with the first leg at Old Trafford on Thursday.
In his post-match interview, Amorim told the BBC that “the goal is to win the Premier League again”. Rooney, United's legendary striker and all-time record scorer, said “it’s a little bit naive to say ‘We’re looking to win the Premier League’ because, from where they are now, they’re a long way off that”.
Those comments were put to Amorim at his post-match press conference as he was asked whether it was realistic to talk about winning the title, and the United head coach said: “That is the goal.
“Being naive is to think that we are going to do it this season or going to be the best contender for the next season.
“So, I know that in this moment everybody knows everything. I know that and it’s really easy – I was a pundit when I finished my career, so I know it’s really easy.
“Our goal is to win the Premier League. Maybe it is not with me. But our goal, as a club, the board, is winning the Premier League like we did in the past, with all the great glories and the legends of this club.
“We want to do better and we know that we are in a difficult moment. And I’m not naive. That’s why I’m here coaching at 40 years old Manchester United.”
United co-owner Ineos has set up ‘Mission 21’ to win a first Premier League crown since 2013 – a 21st English league title overall – with ‘Project 150’ outlining the ambition to do it by the club’s 150th anniversary in 2028.
Winning the Europa League would gain United entry into next season's Uefa Champions League. Given their lowly position in the Premier League, it remains their only realistic hope of returning to the top table next term and of making Ineos' mission a reality.
But missing out on European football altogether would dent those hopes, with Rooney questioning how attractive a move to Old Trafford is nowadays.
“You need to be in a stable position to bring the best players in,” Rooney said.
“And if I’m a player playing in a different country or in a different club and Manchester United come to try and sign me now, I’m looking thinking, ‘I’m not sure’.
“The top players want Champions League football and unfortunately that’s not where the club are at the minute.”
The former United star added: “They were in transition when I signed but a big reason I signed was Sir Alex Ferguson because you knew he’d get it right and he’d build up that team again. It’s hard to see that now.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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The biog
Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb
Age: 57
From: Kalba
Occupation: Mukrema, though she washes bodies without charge
Favourite things to do: Visiting patients at the hospital and give them the support they need.
Role model: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayvn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristopher%20Flinos%2C%20Ahmed%20Ismail%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efinancial%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2044%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseries%20B%20in%20the%20second%20half%20of%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHilbert%20Capital%2C%20Red%20Acre%20Ventures%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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The%20Little%20Mermaid%20
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Sri Lanka v England
First Test, at Galle
England won by 211
Second Test, at Kandy
England won by 57 runs
Third Test, at Colombo
From Nov 23-27
How much of your income do you need to save?
The more you save, the sooner you can retire. Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.com, says if you save just 5 per cent of your salary, you can expect to work for another 66 years before you are able to retire without too large a drop in income.
In other words, you will not save enough to retire comfortably. If you save 15 per cent, you can forward to another 43 working years. Up that to 40 per cent of your income, and your remaining working life drops to just 22 years. (see table)
Obviously, this is only a rough guide. How much you save will depend on variables, not least your salary and how much you already have in your pension pot. But it shows what you need to do to achieve financial independence.
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
