There is no bottom for Manchester United. And the Hong Kong National Team must obviously now be well aware of that. United were booed off the pitch earlier today, as they lost 1-0 to the ASEAN All-Stars (a group of star players from leagues within the region). This despite manager Ruben Amorim fielding a team that included plenty of first team regulars at the match in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today.
Man United vs Hong Kong National Team FYIs
Format: Postseason Friendly
Kickoff: Fri May 30, 2pm BST
Venue: Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong
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Yes, it was only a friendly. Yes, Amorim also played a lot of kids, and did a ton of squad rotation today with his side.
However, an L is an L, and losing to to an exhibition side like this…well, there is no bedrock with this club!
“I feel always guilty, I said that in the last game. I’m always guilty of the performance of the team,” Amorim said to the media, when asked about the fans showing their disgust.
“No matter what. Since I’m here for the first day, I am guilty. Then the boos from the fans is something that we need maybe because every game we lost in the Premier League, they were always there.
“So it’s like if the way of playing they see is not working, they will change the way they behave.
“But I felt then like we finish, walk away and, every time, the supporters were with us. Again, let’s wait for the next season.”
Ticket sales for the second and final match on this postseason tour have reportedly been very disappointing. It’s easy to see why. However, there has been a promise that Amorim will feature his best players in the next match.
It’s only an exhibition, but Amorim will enter next season the hot seat for sure. He is already running out of time to try and figure things out.
Man United Starting XI Prediction vs Hong Kong National Team
Altay Bayindir; Tyler Fredricson, Jonny Evans, Ayden Heaven; Patrick Dorgu, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Amass; Amad Diallo, Chido Obi, Bruno Fernandes
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter