Ruben Amorim has made a worrying admission about his first Manchester United signing Patrick Dorgu.
Denmark international Dorgu became Amorim’s first signing as United manager when he completed a £25m move from Lecce in February 2025.
Amorim signed Dorgu in the hope he would be a key player in his favoured 3-4-3 system but the 21-year-old has struggled for consistency since arriving at Old Trafford.
Fellow defender Diogo Dalot has fared better at United but his long-term future is unclear given he is not a natural wing-back.
Amorim, speaking ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday, admitted neither Dorgu or Dalot were playing ‘at their best’ and said both had ‘more to give’.
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But in a more worrying admission, Amorim suggested Dorgu felt ‘anxious’ every time he receives the ball due to his stuttering Red Devils career.
‘When I see them training they are doing so much better than in games,’ Amorim said.
‘Then Patrick, when I see him playing for the national team, he’s scored a great goal against Scotland [this month], the decision that he made under pressure was completely different to the decisions he’s making in our team.
‘You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touches the ball [for Man United]. I can feel it, the anxiety.’
‘I remember the shot he had against Everton [which he dragged wide. That was easier than the decision that he had to make [against] Scotland – and I saw [his quality] when he played in Italy.
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‘But again, here [United] is different and sometimes the pressure is hard for them in the beginning, but he has time to improve.
‘I just need to understand the context in trying to help them [Dorgu and Dalot]. They are far from their best, and they know it.
‘Like a lot of players in our team, like myself. I just look at them, and think they have so much more to give. So let’s see this week if we can improve that.’
Manchester United, 12th in the table ahead of Sunday’s trip to Selhurst Park, have shipped 19 goals in 12 league games this season, keeping just one clean sheet.
Asked for his take on United’s poor defensive record, Amorim said: ‘We are being really soft near the box.
‘So we need to improve that in the last games, especially against Nottingham [Forest, a 2-2 draw]. We allowed a lot of crosses, we didn’t press well [in] moments.
‘Against Everton, they were with 10 men [after 13 minutes] and we suffered the goal [Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s winner] with the only shot on target.
‘Of course, we need to improve a lot of things. I think the issue is not about the defenders. It’s about the team and the way we feel the danger near our box.’
Manchester United’s next opponents Crystal Palace are sixth in the Premier League and could climb to third with a win over Amorim’s side.
Palace had gone five games unbeaten before suffering a disappointing Conference League defeat to Ligue 1 side Strasbourg during the week.
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