Gary Lineker tells Ruben Amorim he's 'not buying' his latest Man United excuse (2025)

Gary Lineker has reacted to Ruben Amorim's claim that the pressure at Manchester United was the key reason why players, such as Marcus Rashford, have succeeded away from Old Trafford

Gary Lineker has hit out at Ruben Amorim's claim for why players have excelled after leaving Manchester United, saying he's "not buying it".

United have endured a dismal league season, with former winger Anthony Elanga the latest to inflict damage by scoring Nottingham Forest's winning goal on Tuesday. Elanga scoring against his old club raised questions about why others have shone after moving away from Old Trafford.

The most pertinent example is Marcus Rashford's form for Aston Villa, while Antony has also flourished since joining Real Betis on loan in the January transfer window. Ruben Amorim suggested that the pressure of playing for United was a key reason for their contrasting performances, but Lineker was not sold on the manager's explanation.

"I saw him interviewed and we know he's quite open when he does his interviews and answers every question, but they were saying why are Manchester United players doing well elsewhere?" Lineker said on the Rest is Football podcast. "And he was saying, it's the pressure of playing at a club like Manchester United.

"I'm not buying that, I'm sorry. If you're playing at any big football club, you need to be able to handle pressure to be there in the first place.

"People like Rashford, they've done it really well at certain times to prove that it's not that. I just think it's that seeping down from the top. The club gets in a bit of a mess and it's all over the shop."

The manager agreed that loanees Rashford, Antony, and Jadon Sancho were not given the best environment to fulfil their potential. However, Amorim blamed a lack of guidance and stability within the squad to help the players show their best in a United shirt.

"In here, the pressure is too big sometimes, and sometimes you don't get time, and you should have time for these kids to develop," Amorim said. "But for that, you need a strong base to support all these kids, and if you don't have a strong base, we are not going to help our kids. They had their chances and sometimes football is like that and the pressure of playing for Manchester United is really big."

While there may be some merit to Amorim's argument, it does not strictly apply in Rashford’s case. Two seasons ago, he scored 30 goals for United, proving he could handle the pressure at the club. Since joining Villa on loan in January, Rashford has recorded seven goal contributions in 11 appearances, but Lineker believes that the forward may not return to United in the summer despite his resurgence.

"He looks like he's got a fresh lease of life," Lineker said. "It's a massive difference, going from a place where you've got issues and problems and clearly fallen out [with the manager].

"He'll also be slightly concerned about his future as well. He's obviously a Manchester United lad through and through, but it makes it a really difficult position and hard for him to go back. There'd have to be a lot of forgiveness, probably on both sides.

"But if you're Manchester United and you're seeing all these players that have been part of your squad or team for quite some time doing so well elsewhere, that adds question marks."

He added: "It comes from the top in a football club and seeps down. If things are not going well off the pitch, they invariably don't go well on the pitch, and that's been the case with Marcus."