Rafael da Silva takes aim at Ruben Amorim, Luke Shaw and more

Ruben Amorim’s bid to improve Manchester United’s fortunes continues this weekend as they host Sunderland. The Red Devils sit 14th in the Premier League, with a record of two wins, a draw and three losses so far.

We recently spoke to former Old Trafford star and one-half of the da Silva twins, Rafael. The Brazilian spoke candidly about Ruben Amorim, Manchester United’s woes, Casemiro’s role in the team and their defensive frailties.

Amorim’s stubbornness is working against him

The ex-Brazil international started by talking about United’s underwhelming start to the season and why Amorim has to shoulder the blame for it.

In Rafael’s view, Amorim's reluctance to adapt to opponents and insistence on sticking to his philosophy and formation is the main cause behind the Red Devils’ poor start to the campaign.

“So, the start of the season for Manchester is really bad, right? It's really bad. Everyone thought they would start better, but for like half a year now, they've been playing way below their potential, and this year started the same. So, it's frustrating for the fans and everyone who loves Manchester United. I think it's a really frustrating start to the season."

“He's [Amorim] been given time. Last year he reached the Europa League final and the board always put a lot of trust in him. I think sometimes he's... I won't say stubborn, because stubborn is a strong word, but he's quite hardheaded. I don’t know if there's a word for that in English, but like, it's for some things, you know? He has his philosophy and doesn't change for anything.”

Rafael appreciates that Amorim has a philosophy, but he urges him to be open-minded, start adapting to the personnel he has at the club and play to their strengths.

“I think a coach can have a philosophy, but you also have to consider the teams you're playing against; that's important. All this is part of football, man, but there are times when, depending on the players you have and the team you're playing against, you have to start changing, testing other things, since what you're doing isn't working.”

Rafael’s thoughts on Casemiro and Matheus Cunha

Rafael also shared his opinion on the Brazilian duo of Casemiro and Matheus Cunha. The former has been in and out of the midfield as of late and has also missed a game because he received a red card against Chelsea.

Rafael thinks Casemiro still has a lot to offer United despite his advanced age. He points to him being a starter for the national team under Carlo Ancelotti as an example, and believes he’s been one of the Red Devils’ better performers.

“Casemiro is currently a starter for the Brazilian National Team. With Ancelotti, so it's like, he's on the bench for Manchester United but a starter for the national team, which has happened with several players, but he's a guy who's 33 years old, right? He definitely still has a lot to offer in football.”

“He's not a young guy anymore, obviously, and not the same player he was before, but I think he performs well with the team. It's hard to single out a player playing well, but he certainly has what it takes to be a starter.”

His view of Cunha, on the other hand, is not that positive. The forward is yet to register a goal involvement and Rafael has slated his performance, but adds that he isn’t helped by the entire team underperforming.

“Matheus Cunha, of course, hasn't been doing great, but honestly, everyone at Manchester isn't delivering, from the coach to the last player. Better performances, better results…”

Rafael adds that it may be too early to talk about Matheus Cunha, and that he rates his ability. What he wants to see, not just from him but the entire squad, is consistent improvement.

“It's too early to talk about Matheus Cunha; I really like him as a player, I think he's fantastic, but along with all the other players, I think there's room for improvement.”

“It’s a thing that's connected to him as it is to everyone else, like Casemiro, who we mentioned earlier. I think everyone needs to know they have to improve, including Ruben Amorim. That's important; I think it's everyone together. There’s no point in blaming each other; that's what's bad, and it's too easy.”

Rafael’s view on Luke Shaw in United’s defence

The three-time Premier League winner also took aim at the club’s defensive unit, specifically Luke Shaw. In Rafael’s opinion, Shaw should not be featuring in that defence as he hasn’t passed the tests he’s been subjected to at the Theatre of Dreams.

“Manchester United is a team that concedes a lot of goals. They need to improve in many aspects. Last year, not so much now, but last year I really liked Yoro. But this year he hasn't been playing as well. I think he's a very promising player.”

“But it's hard to talk about defence today. It's not just about the defence; it's a whole package. But honestly, I can't get used to Luke Shaw playing in defence. It can happen, but he's been tested so many times, and it rarely worked.

“I think it worked for the England National Team, if I'm not mistaken, if I'm not crazy. But at Manchester United, it hasn't always worked out like that, so I can't get used to it.”

Kobbie Mainoo’s future

This past summer, one of the hottest topics was Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Manchester United. The academy product was heavily rumoured to be leaving, but Amorim reiterated his importance to the side and he stayed.

Mainoo, however, has struggled to earn a consistent place in the United midfield. He has featured in five games thus far, but started none of them. This has added to the speculation that he might look for a new club in the January transfer window. With that being said, he's still valued at 3/1 to make the England squad next summer, and you can back him to do so using our bet365 bonus code.

Rafael likes Mainoo but has questioned if he’s as talented as fans think he is. He’s also urged the player to keep a positive attitude and not complain about his game time.

“I really like Mainoo. I think he’s a very good player; he hasn’t been used much this season. Is he world-class? I don’t know, but I think he's a really good player. With confidence and all that. You have to know if the player wants to stay at the club, you know? There’s no point in saying ‘he has to play, he doesn’t have to play.’”

“I’m not in Manchester right now, I don’t know what's happening. But if a player is complaining, bringing a bad vibe to the club, they need to leave. I’m not saying that’s the case with him. I’m just giving an example of my thoughts. But he's a great player, I’m sure of it.”

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