Ruben Amorim claimed anxiety around Old Trafford was affecting his players’ mentality and admitted he faced a “big challenge” after Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth.

After conceding twice in eight minutes in the second half to fall 3-0 behind at Tottenham on Thursday – in a match they ultimately lost 4-3 – this time it took United just two minutes to capitulate ahead of the same score against Bournemouth in a match. where they previously looked likely to mount a comeback following Dean Huijsen’s first-half header from a free kick.

Amorim highlighted the anxiety, both among his players and in the stadium, to explain how they had dashed any hopes of a comeback so quickly for the second time in three days and urged his team to block out the noise to avoid a repeat of the match . future.

“I think a lot of understanding our game is about mentality,” he said. “You can feel it in (Andre) Onana’s first kick, he’s thinking about what to do, trying to push the other guys – and everyone is so anxious.

“Right now in our club everyone is tired of this moment. We know what to do, we have to tackle a lot of things but we are ready to do it. We already knew that, we knew the challenge was big.

“But it’s a free kick, a penalty, and a moment where you have to forget the context and keep the ball for a moment without trying to score two goals straight away. It’s a really difficult moment and we have to understand what players think about it at this time. We will fix it.

Huijsen’s opener added to the already long list of set-play goals that United have conceded this season and further, leading Amorim to put Carlos Fernandes in charge of kick coaching. set feet – in front of specialist trainer Andreas Georgson – earlier this month.

Questions will be asked about his influence given United’s continued poor record, but Amorim said he bore responsibility for his team’s inability to defend deliveries and suggested there would be no more upsets behind the scenes to follow.

“The responsibility for everything is mine, not Carlos,” he said. “We are a team in good times and bad. We have a way of doing things.

“We are working on that and we didn’t lose because of set pieces. We lost because we created more chances but we didn’t score them, and then at that moment, against us, they score, it’s a difficult moment but the responsibility lies with me, not with Carlos.

How will Man Utd improve?

Amorim has repeatedly taken responsibility for United’s recent form, but defended his record despite another heavy defeat, following a match where his side created an expected goals total of 2.26 while failing to score beat Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Bournemouth goal.

“It’s my responsibility to coach them,” he said. “Of course we want to improve. Everything is so difficult at the moment. At a club like Man Utd, losing 3-0 at home is really difficult for everyone. The fans are really disappointed and tired, and you can feel it in the stadium.

“We don’t give the ball away like we used to, we control the game better, we don’t concede a lot of space, we control the transitions very well against a team that scores 60 percent of its goals by winning the ball back. half.

“It’s about working on the way we play. Focusing on the work, not on the moment, not on how we feel in the stadium.

“Focus on what you need to do when the ball is in one place or another. That’s the only way I know to help my players, to concentrate on the job itself.

“Sometimes too many games is too much, but sometimes you need another game to start again. We will continue until the end.”