Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has insisted that Ruben Amorim is naive to think that he will have the time to build for a Premier League title if results and performances do not improve.
United had been in the ascendency in extra-time after Bruno Fernandes had cancelled out Calvin Bassey's opener in normal time. However, they fell short on penalties as both Victor Lindelof and Joshua Zirkzee saw their spot kicks saved by Bernd Leno.
In his post-match interview with BBC Sport, Amorim insisted that the long-term target remains to win the Premier League and that defeats in the cup would be a collateral side effect in the journey. While Rooney could see the manager's point, he explained in the Match of the Day studio why the Portuguese needs to be thinking in the short-term.
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"It is very difficult during the season to come in and not have his pre-season to implement his plans with the team," Rooney explained. "But, he has to look to the future and how can he firstly, he says win the Premier League, but how can they compete to get a bit further up the table - that’s the next step for them. Ultimately the goal over the next few years is to try and [win the Premier League]."
"The issue of looking too far ahead is that we are seeing over the last ten or 15 years that managers are not getting that time [to turn things around]," Rooney continued. "You have to be a little bit selfish as a manager and say: ‘Okay, if I don’t do it now I might not get that time.'
"I think it is a little bit naive to say we are looking to win the Premier League because from where they are now, they are a long way off." United's only realistic route of qualifying for Europe next season is to win the Europa League but that path is not straightforward.
On Thursday they travel to Real Sociedad for the first leg of their round of 16 tie before the return fixture at Old Trafford a week later.
