Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has responded to sharp criticism from club legend Cristiano Ronaldo by urging fans and pundits to focus on the future rather than dwell on the past.

Ronaldo, who won eight trophies during his time at United, told Piers Morgan this week that the club was “not on a good path” and cautioned that Amorim “is not going to do miracles” at Old Trafford.

“We say in Portugal, ‘miracles only happen in Fatima,’” the 40-year-old Al Nassr forward added, highlighting United’s lack of long-term structure and vision.

Amorim, who succeeded Erik ten Hag in November 2024, addressed the remarks ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur.

“Of course, he has a huge impact in everything he said,” Amorim said on Thursday. “But what we need to focus on is the future. We know that as a club we made mistakes in the past, but we are trying to change that. Let’s not dwell on what happened — let’s focus on what we are doing now.

“We are changing a lot — the club structure, the way we work, the way we want our players to behave. We are improving every day.”

Ronaldo expressed sadness over United’s decline but stressed that the club’s challenges go beyond the manager.

“You have to work with smart people to create a base for the future,” he said. “Right now, they don’t have a structure.”

Despite the criticism, United have shown signs of progress, climbing to eighth in the Premier League and just two points off second place after a four-game unbeaten run. Saturday’s fixture carries added significance, as Spurs beat United 1-0 in last season’s Europa League final, denying them a place in this season’s Champions League.

Amorim credited structural reforms and improved player mentality for the club’s turnaround.

“The characteristics of the players are different now. We still have players from last year, but we are a better team. We understand the game better and are more confident,” he said. “We reached the Europa League final believing we could win it. Now, we are playing with a different kind of confidence.”

The Portuguese manager also highlighted a silver lining in missing out on European football this season.

“In any situation, you can choose to look at it positively or negatively,” Amorim said.
“If you ask me whether I’d prefer to play in the Europa League and Champions League, I might say yes. But on the other hand, it gives us more time to train, get to know our players, and prepare properly. We are trying to use the positives of not having midweek games.”