Man Utd's humiliating defeat in Malaysia shows how much they need Cunha

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim believes that the sound of boos following their 1-0 defeat to the ASEAN All-Stars in Kuala Lumpur could ultimately benefit his players.

After ending a dismal Premier League season with a win over Aston Villa, United travelled 6,600 miles to Malaysia, only to find their struggles continued.

Less than a day after Wolves striker Matheus Cunha was cleared for a medical ahead of a £62.5m move to Old Trafford, United’s familiar problems in front of goal resurfaced in the opening match of their post-season tour of Asia.

Despite using 25 outfield players in sweltering conditions exceeding 30 degrees and high humidity, Amorim’s side failed to convert several chances.

A second-half strike from Myanmar’s Maung Maung Lwin secured victory for the South East Asia XI in front of 72,550 fans at Bukit Jalil Stadium, many of whom had paid up to £260 for tickets and voiced their frustration with boos at the final whistle.

“I always feel guilty for the performance of the team since the first game I was here,” Amorim admitted. “The boos maybe is something we need because every game we lost in the Premier League the fans were always there. I felt when we finished every time the supporters were with us. Let’s see for next season.”

Amorim declined to comment on Cunha’s transfer, stating, “You have to wait for that for the next season. It is for you guys (the media) to talk about. I won’t confirm anything. I have no news. We will see, but there will be some changes.”

United’s 15th-place finish on 42 points marks their worst campaign since relegation in 1973-74, compounded by a Europa League final loss to Tottenham.

The Asian tour, expected to generate around $10m (£7.8m), comes after a gruelling 60-game season.

While Amorim stayed tight-lipped on Cunha, United’s rebuild continues: veteran keeper Tom Heaton is set for a one-year extension, and the club awaits a decision on Ipswich’s Liam Delap, available for £30m, with Chelsea also interested.

There’s still uncertainty over captain Bruno Fernandes amid Saudi interest, but he and winger Alejandro Garnacho—who has been told he can leave—will travel with the squad to Hong Kong.

Chief executive Omar Berrada, speaking before the defeat, said, “I can’t talk about specifics but I can say that we have been planning for many months now and we were ready for all the different scenarios.

"Now we know what we need to do, we have a very clear idea of where we need to invest in the squad to improve. Now it is a question of executing that plan and doing it in a way that is prudent but is with ambition at the same time.”

The future of Rasmus Hojlund, who scored four goals in 32 league appearances, could also be under review if Delap and Cunha arrive.

Amorim hopes for a turnaround: “Sometimes you go to holiday, then you arrive [back] on the first day, start a new season and even the environment in training ground can help all these players have more confidence. We do have a lack of goals. We will try to assess that and be prepared.”

With 10,000 tickets left for Friday’s match in Hong Kong, Amorim was asked why fans should attend.

Drawing on his own experience as a Benfica supporter, he said, “If you can afford it – and that is the important thing – then you support your club. I had my club as a young kid and no matter what the situation, I was there. It was difficult supporting Benfica in the 1990s as they struggled a lot. But I never stopped going. These people believe in Manchester United no matter what the context.”