Ruben Amorim hits back at Wayne Rooney for calling his Premier League title ambitions 'naive'

Manchester United were eliminated by Fulham in the FA Cup.

Ruben Amorim retaliated against Wayne Rooney for calling his aspirations to win the Premier League “naive.” In a shootout, Fulham defeated FA Cup defending champions Manchester United after goalie Bernd Leno saved penalties from Joshua Zirkzee and Victor Lindelof.

However, Amorim, the manager of United, claims that winning the league is his true objective. Rooney, the former Red Devils’ leading scorer with 253 goals, who turns 40 in October, says it won’t happen unless elite players desire to join the team.

Amorim hit back at Rooney, who was fired as Plymouth’s manager in December, saying:

“I’m not naive. We know we are in a difficult time. I knew that before I came and I know that now – maybe that’s why I am the manager of Manchester United at 40 years of age.

“It’s really easy to be a pundit. I was a pundit for a time in Portugal and I know it’s easy and everybody knows everything. Winning the league again at this club is the goal.

🚨 Rúben Amorim: “Our goal as a club is to win the Premier League”. @BeanymanSports pic.twitter.com/1CYqT1WfEq

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 2, 2025

“Being ‘naive’ is thinking we are going to do it this season or being the best contender next season.”

TV analyst Rooney criticized Amorim for previously stating that “the goal is to win the Premier League” in an ITV interview following the game.

Rooney had said: “It’s a little naive to say they’re looking to win the Premier League because from where they are now, they’re a long way off that.

“If I’m a player at a different club and Manchester United try to sign me, I’m thinking ‘I’m not sure’. The top players want Champions League.

“United were in transition when I signed and a big reason I signed was Sir Alex Ferguson because you knew he’d get it right and build that team again. It’s hard to see that now.”

Five months after the Dutchman’s FA Cup victory, Amorim was named United’s manager on November 1 following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag.

Since taking over, the former Sporting Lisbon boss has lost 10 of 24 games in all competitions, while Ten Hag lost 10 out of 55 games.

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