The Red Devils boss made the scathing comment about his players following the Premier League defeat to Brighton at the weekend but has now claimed that the remarks were aimed at his underperformance rather than that of his squad.

Amorim said: "I was ­talking more for myself than my players because I was talking that [I am] a coach who starts out losing seven games in the first [15]. So it’s more for me.

"It’s the same players doing worse with a new coach – that is my only concern at the moment. I also talked in the same response about how I was not helping my ­players and if you look at every time you [the media] push about the ­players [not being] good enough I never put the spot [blame] on my players.

"So I understand I give you that headline and I am frustrated ­sometimes. Sometimes I should not say it in these terms, but it is what it is and that’s it. Sometimes it’s really hard to hide the frustration in the moment. But the good thing is I said the same things in a different way in the ­dressing room five minutes before."

Amorim broke from habit by addressing his team after the Brighton match and admits that it is a decision he now regrets.

The Portuguese coach said: "I’m a young guy and sometimes I make a mistake. That’s why I don’t talk after the game. This game I needed to talk and maybe it was a mistake and then I get more nervous [frustrated] and went to the conference really nervous and say things I shouldn’t say. That’s it."