Ruben Amorim says Manchester United loss to Crystal Palace 'really bad', insists Marcus Rashford loan 'not embarrassing'

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Manchester United's five-match unbeaten streak came to an end on Sunday at Old Trafford when they lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace. Manager Ruben Amorim conceded that the result was "really bad", and also suggested that defender Lisandro Martinez may have picked up an injury that could be "something serious." United are now 13th in the Premier League table, while they next face Leicester in the FA Cup.

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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim called his side’s 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace a "really bad" result, and that Lisandro Martinez’s injury could be "something serious."

United were looking to build on a run of three victories in a row when they welcomed Oliver Glasner’s team to Old Trafford, but poor defending at set-pieces cost them, with Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring both goals for the away side.

Defender Martinez also jarred his left knee and had to be taken off, raising questions over one of United’s better performing defenders of recent months.

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Speaking to Sky Sports after the defeat, Amorim had little positive to say.

"The result is really bad," he said. "The performance was a little bit better than the last games. We controlled the transitions quite well for Crystal Palace.

"We suffered two goals that we can avoid and the injury on Lisandro Martinez was tough for the team."

Regarding his Argentina international defender, Amorim conceded that the reaction to the injury did not augur well.

"We are going to see in the next days, but I think it is a serious situation," Amorim said.

"He is not only a great player but a strong character in the dressing room.

"He felt it and when you are a player, you know when it is something serious. We are here to help him in this difficult moment like he has helped us."

United are set to see Marcus Rashford depart on loan to Aston Villa, with Antony already at Real Betis in La Liga on a temporary basis.

Patrick Dorgu has arrived from Lecce and there is speculation that Mathys Tel could join from Bayern Munich before the end of the transfer window.

After a difficult few months in charge at Old Trafford, Amorim acknowledged that things have been tough for the club.

"It's normal for the fans to feel negative, it is a hard season for them, but football can change in certain moments," he said. "I will prepare the next game and move forward. Better things will come."

'Not embarrassing' to loan out Rashford

In his post-match press conference, Amorim was asked about the decision to allow Marcus Rashford to depart on loan to Aston Villa.

The forward completed a temporary switch to Villa Park until the end of the season on Sunday night, having not featured for United under Amorim since the UEFA Europa League encounter against Viktoria Plzen in December.

The 27-year-old was not included in The Red Devils' matchday squad for their 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace, and Amorim said that it would not be "embarrassing" for United to loan out the Englishman, who has scored 139 goals during his time at Old Trafford, and for Rashford to start performing well in a Villa shirt.

"Humiliating? It is not embarrassing," Amorim insisted.

"When you loan a player, you expect him to play and improve, so there is nothing humiliating there."

The Portuguese, who took over the reins from Erik ten Hag back in November, spoke of his desperation to overhaul his squad, and he has done so at left wing-back, with the signing of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce.

"We are trying everything to improve the team without making the mistakes of the past and also trying to balance the urgency of the moment," said Amorim.

"We know all of the aspects of our club in the moment but we are trying everything.

"This market is really hard on clubs to make some deals. I want to improve the team so badly. I know what the team needs. Sometimes it's possible, sometimes it's not. When the window closes we will see the players that we have."

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