Manchester United trio’s post-match reunion with Ruben Amorim attracts attention after Milan defeat

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Diogo Dalot appeared to avoid greeting former manager Ruben Amorim after the club’s 4-2 friendly defeat by AC Milan on Saturday.

Amorim, who now manages Milan, met several of his former Manchester United players after the final whistle. Most of the squad approached the Portuguese coach to shake hands or exchange a hug, but footage appeared to show Rashford, Mainoo and Dalot moving away without speaking to him.

Manchester United led twice during the match but were beaten after Milan scored three times late on to complete the turnaround.

Harry Maguire and Patrick Dorgu scored for United, while Samuel Chukwueze, Alfadio Cisse, Goncalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were on target for Milan.

The post-match scenes have drawn particular interest because of Amorim’s previous relationship with the three players. Rashford’s strained spell under the former United manager was the most prominent of the three.

The England forward fell out of favour during Amorim’s time at Old Trafford and spent two loan spells away from the club. He first joined Aston Villa before moving to Barcelona last season, according to Portuguese newspaper A Bola.

Rashford’s departure followed a period in which he was no longer considered part of Amorim’s plans at Manchester United. The forward has since continued his career away from Old Trafford, while his apparent decision not to approach Amorim after Saturday’s match added to the focus surrounding their relationship.

Mainoo also found regular first-team opportunities difficult to secure during Amorim’s tenure. The England midfielder was among the players whose playing time became increasingly limited as the Portuguese coach tried to reshape the team.

Amorim was dismissed by Manchester United in January after a difficult run of results left the club out of contention in the Premier League title race. His exit brought an end to a short and challenging spell in charge.

Dalot’s apparent decision to keep his distance, however, was more unexpected. There has been no widely known public dispute between the Portugal full-back and Amorim.

The manager had criticised Dalot’s performances openly during his time at Manchester United. Dalot later spoke positively about Amorim, saying the coach’s demands had helped raise performance standards within the squad.

While the result against Milan was only recorded in a friendly, it provided encouragement for United’s new manager Michael Carrick. Carrick initially took charge on a temporary basis before being appointed permanently after a run of improved results.

The loss meant Carrick’s side ended the meeting on the wrong side of a six-goal contest, but the match also offered a notable reunion between Manchester United and the coach who had previously led them. For Amorim, the victory gave Milan the final word on the pitch, while the reaction of three former players became the main talking point after the game.