Carlos Fernandes, assistant to Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim, has sent a defiant message from the dressing room after the Europa League final defeat on Wednesday night. The Reds went into the match as favourites, but after conceding on the stroke of half-time to a scrappy Brennan Johnson goal, they never recovered. In the second half, Tottenham Hotspur sat deep, and United had no answer to break them down. Luke Shaw went close in the dying moments, but Guglielmo Vicario was equal to his header as Spurs ended their 17-year goal drought. After the final whistle, the disappointment was written all over the faces of Amorim , his staff and the players as the reality of new European football next season hit home. Reflecting on the defeat, Fernandes took to Instagram on Thursday evening to send a defiant message to United fans and a thank you to those who supported them. "We failed where it hurts the most, and the responsibility is ours," he began. "Thanks to the players who gave everything to make the outcome different. Thank you to everyone who supported us through our most difficult times and to those who sent me messages of support throughout yesterday [Wednesday] and today. "If friends are the family you choose, then I'm lucky. I was chosen by amazing people and I have the best family ever. "People who made an enormous effort to be by my side on one of the most important days of my life: Spending days on vacation, traveling straight at night out, driving 20 hours in less than two days or crossing half of Europe by plane alone with cancelled flights... My eternal and heartfelt thank yous are the highlight of my day. "Now... It’s time to reflect, learn, improve and do everything to come back... We're still together." Among the just under 10,000 people to like the post were United stars Diogo Dalot and Joshua Zirkzee who came on as substitutes in the final. Amorim told reporters in Bilbao that he would not be quitting but that if the fans and the board decided he was no longer the right man for the job, he would walk away without compensation. Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis. Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories. And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts , and you can also watch along on YouTube .