After Fulham’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, Alex Iwobi’s “damning” interview has stoked anger among those who disagree with Ruben Amorim’s strategies. The former Arsenal winger didn’t hold back as he revealed how the Cottagers were able to ensnare their opponents and quickly reveal the midfield and defensive scheme of their rival boss.
There were significant flashpoints during the Premier League’s primetime Sunday slot, despite the fact that there wasn’t much activity within the box. Bruno Fernandes sent a penalty over the crossbar in the first half, and there was a lot of controversy over Leny Yoro’s supposed foul in the buildup to Rodrigo Muniz’s own goal. When substitute Emile Smith Rowe scored with his first touch, slotting away an Iwobi cross from close range, what appeared to be United’s game-changing moment was undone. See the equalizer below:
The outcome makes United one of eight teams still without a victory after two games of the current Premier League season, which is hardly the start they had in mind after rebuilding. In three hours of play, Amorim’s team has yet to score a goal from open play despite spending £200 million on new forwards during the summer. Even worse, their defense and midfield suddenly appear to be open books in the 3-4-2-1 system they are using, making it simple to read and even simpler to penalize.
Alex Iwobi Reveals How Fulham Were Able To Punish United
The general consensus in United circles at the beginning of the year, when everything was going awry at Old Trafford, was straightforward: Amorim simply needed to make it through the summer. Then he could finally begin his rescue effort with new signings and a fresh start. However, it already feels like opposition managers have figured out how to play against him after just two games of the 2025–26 season.
Iwobi was questioned after the game about how he was able to cut through United’s defense so easily and bring Fulham back into the game after they had fallen down by a goal. He gave a direct and illuminating reaction (see the interview below):
“To push on high, and it allows me to get into that pocket. It’s something we worked on in training, and we were able to execute that in a match. We knew we would be able to get behind their two midfielders, and the three centre-backs wouldn’t want to jump, so we exploited that today.”
With obvious flaws throughout the field providing ample justification for online complaints, it looks like three flashy new forwards won’t be enough to help United get back on track in their quest for the glory days under their new manager.
A user of X said it best: “Any manager that gets called out this way needs to take a serious look at themselves – and so should their bosses.” A second was added elsewhere:
“This is just to let you know that, if he doesn’t adapt, he is finished. If opposition players are already boasting to the media about how they trained and successfully nullified your tactics in the Premier League, if you stick to it, you are done.”
“This is embarrassing, man,” went another, while a fourth said: “All right, this is starting to irritate me. Do you mean that Iwobi and Smith Rowe are aware of our strategy? It’s just a technical problem. Do something, Amorim, before I lose it.”
A fifth came to the following conclusion: “The adversaries are well-versed in the Amorim’s methodology. The fact that it won’t function in the Premier League is too much for him to accept. In the Premier League, no club wins with a 3-4-2-1 configuration, and Amorim won’t either.
Amorim’s current Premier League win percentage of just 24.1% (seven victories in 29 games) is the same as Neil Warnock’s record of 27 victories from 112 games, which included two relegations. However, he might have a little window to regroup and regain composure before facing newly promoted Burnley at home.
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