Ruben Amorim said provocative social media posts from two of Manchester United’s academy stars showed a damaging “feeling of entitlement” at the Premier League club.
The United boss last week said Harry Amass was “struggling” at Sheffield Wednesday, bottom of the Championship, and pointed out that Chido Obi was not always a starter in United’s under-21s.
The 18-year-olds both uploaded and subsequently deleted Instagram story posts.
Amass posted a photo of himself holding the Sheffield Wednesday’s player of the month award for November with a grinning emoji.
Obi’s post showed him with arms out celebrating a goal for the Under-21s against Manchester City in August.
Amorim defended his direct approach at his pre-match news conference on Friday, when asked if he had seen the posts.
“I think it’s a little bit the feeling of entitlement that we have in our club,” the Portuguese said.
“Sometimes, strong words are not bad words. Sometimes, difficult moments are not bad things for the kids. We don’t need to be always with accolades in everything, in every situation.”
The United boss called for a change of culture at the club, who are sixth in the Premier League in the run-up to Sunday’s visit to high-flying Aston Villa.
“The players sometimes forget about what it means to play for Manchester United. We as a club sometimes forget who we are,” he said.
Amorim said his office door was open if players wanted to discuss issues.
“Nobody is coming to talk to me,” he said. “And that is the way we can solve things. So I think we need to change first as a club. And then everything is going to change.”
The United boss was also asked about a T-shirt worn by Kobbie Mainoo’s half-brother earlier this week that carried the message “Free Kobbie Mainoo”.
England international Mainoo, 20, is still waiting for his first Premier League start of the season, with his lack of game time a major talking point that has led to speculation that he could leave Old Trafford.
“It was not Kobbie who wore the T-shirt,” said Amorim. “He is not going to start because of the T-shirt, but he is not going to the bench because of the T-shirt.
“He’s going to play if we feel that he is the right guy. That is not an issue.”
United defender Luke Sahe, in July, spoke out in solidarity with Amorim’s attempt to change what he described at the time as a “toxic” changing room at Old Trafford.
Mainoo may have his opportunity to start the Villa game with Brazilian midfielder Casemiro suspended following his booking in the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.
Defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire are still injured, while Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo are all on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
