Ruben Amorim blames Man Utd's Carabao Cup exit to Tottenham on 'disconnect' after Red Devils' failed comeback in quarter-finals ends first trophy hopes for new boss

Tottenham raced into a 3-0 lead shortly after half-time, leaving United in a precarious position. However, two quick goals in a seven-minute spell gave the Red Devils a lifeline and shifted the momentum back in their favour. Despite their spirited effort to stage a comeback, United ultimately fell short, conceding a decisive fourth goal to Son Heung-min to bow out of the Carabao Cup, with Jonny Evans' late header a mere consolation at the end of the night.

Amorim attributed his team’s defeat to a lack of cohesion in the first 10 minutes of the second half and told Sky Sports: "We disconnect in the beginning of the second half, it was a tough moment for us, like 10 minutes. And then we return, I think we did a great job. I think if you look at the game, I think we were the best team but they [Spurs] were more clinical. We lost the game but the fight from the lads was really important for me."

With a mountain to climb, United pressed relentlessly, showing glimpses of control and attacking intent, but their efforts turned out to be too little and too late. Amorim focussed on the challenges his team faced in that gruelling 10 minutes after half-time and said: "In games like this, we have to maintain long possession right after conceding. Instead, we started losing the ball and making poor passes in the build-up, which left us exposed. We became nervous during that period, but eventually, we regained composure. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to turn things around."

While Amorim praised his team’s fighting spirit, the defeat adds pressure to United’s already challenging season. They will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for the upcoming Premier League fixture at home to Bournemouth on Sunday.