Amorim’s ‘just bad luck’ line after Villa defeat rings alarm bells at Old Trafford

Aston Villa marched to a 2-1 win and a tenth straight league victory, while Manchester United slipped further off the pace — yet Ruben Amorim reckons it all boiled down to fortune deserting his side. That’s a brave sell after the week United have had and the run they’re on, and it’s landed badly with a fanbase that’s heard one excuse too many.

Villa ruthless, United ragged in midfield

Let’s be honest: the pattern was familiar. Villa carved out the clearer chances and made them count through a Morgan Rogers double. United had their moment — a late first-half strike from Matheus Cunha — but the home side’s control and conviction told across the 90. United’s midfield never truly got a grip, which meant little pressure on Villa’s rhythm and too much defending of space rather than men.

Then came the blow that no manager wants: Bruno Fernandes hobbling off with what looked like a hamstring problem. The skipper is, by the club’s own guidance, expected to miss a few games — a creative and leadership void United can ill afford right now.

Amorim’s verdict: better side, unlucky outcome

Post-match, Amorim told club media that he felt United were the superior side on the day, even after Bruno went off, arguing the performance was strong and that luck — not Villa’s execution — swung the contest. He praised United’s work limiting transitions and lamented that nobody will remember the display because the scoreline writes the narrative. It’s defiant, yes, but it risks sounding tone-deaf when Villa looked sharper where it matters: in both boxes.

Fans aren’t buying it

Online reaction was scathing. Supporters accused the manager of deflecting rather than diagnosing, pointing out that seven points from the last 24 tells its own story. Others argued Villa deliberately ceded some possession and picked their moments, which made United’s claim to superiority feel hollow. There were calls for higher standards and sharper accountability, with some even branding the rhetoric “delusional.” A former United captain also laid into one player’s lack of desire at Villa Park — a stinging assessment that chimed with the wider mood.

The bigger picture: structure over soundbites

Here’s the rub: this wasn’t a freak roll of the dice — Villa earned their win by controlling key phases while United again fell short in midfield control and penalty-box craft. Amorim’s win rate has slipped under the 40% mark, and only recently has he tinkered with shape to stem the bleeding. That’s fine if it comes with clarity: better distances between units, more bravery on the ball, and decisive movement up top. Without that, labelling defeats as unlucky just sounds like noise.

Where United go from here

With the schedule hardly unforgiving — one game a week for now — there’s nowhere to hide. Selection calls matter, the press has to be coordinated, and United need clean, repeatable patterns to progress the ball. The talent is there, but the system has to put it on rails. For those tracking form swings and market sentiment, the best betting sites will reflect what we’re seeing on the pitch: Villa trending up, United searching for themselves.

Villa, meanwhile, look the real deal under Unai Emery — 10 wins on the spin for the first time in 111 years tells you everything. Ruthless, organised, and utterly sure of themselves. That’s the standard. United have to stop debating luck and start matching it.