- Amorim saw his 10-man United team eliminate Arsenal from the FA Cup
- Result comes a week after an excellent display at Anfield against Liverpool
- Portuguese coach has struggled in first two months as United’s head coach
To describe the introduction to life as Manchester United head coach as a baptism of fire for Ruben Amorim would be the understatement of the season. The Portuguese coach had, up until eight days ago, endured a miserable first two months in charge at Old Trafford. But, suddenly, things appear to be turning a corner on the red side of Manchester.
Following a wretched festive period, in which United slipped to a pair of 2-0 defeats to Wolves and Newcastle United, there were whispers about whether Amorim’s methods were able to translate from Portugal’s Super Liga to the Premier League. Was his treatment of wantaway forward Marcus Rashford ill advised? Why did he ever think selecting Christian Eriksen and Casemiro as his starting midfield duo against a young, athletic, in-form Newcastle midfield was a wise idea?
Before United’s blue Christmas, there had been a glimmer of hope after the delirious late, late show against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. An emphatic 4-0 defeat of Everton a few weeks earlier had also been well received, if tempered slightly by the lack of quality among the opposition. But there had also been dreadful home defeats to high flying Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. An early December trip to Arsenal was similarly impotent, as Amorim’s men limped to a 2-0 defeat.
Upon his arrival in the English north-west, Amorim had warned that United would suffer and that “a storm is coming”. Said storm proceeded to blow the doors off an already run-down Old Trafford and there was little sign of improvement from the mess the former Sporting CP boss had inherited from the outgoing Erik Ten Hag.
But, two months later and, what appeared to be a nightmare week-in-waiting, perhaps became a turning point for Amorim at United.
In less than a month #MUFC have gone to City and won, gone to Liverpool and should have won and now gone to Arsenal and won with 10 men. Amorim is the man.
— Sam Pilger (@sampilger) January 12, 2025
First up was the January 5 trip to Anfield to take on Premier League leaders Liverpool. The Red Devils are without a win at their most loathed rival’s back yard in almost a decade and were not fancied to end that streak last Sunday. And although they didn’t, they absolutely should have. Amorim’s gameplan worked masterfully as United enjoyed the better of the game, before taking the lead through Lisandro Martinez in the second-half.
And even when Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah restored normal service, it didn’t last for long. United didn’t wilt under the Anfield onslaught, instead roaring back with a late equaliser from Amad Diallo. But, while a point and the performance to go with it was a very credible afternoon’s work for Amorim and co, it should have been three points, but for the resurgent Harry Maguire’s agonising last-kick-of-the-game miss with the goal gaping.
Yesterday, it was onto Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, where United has lost so comfortably only a month ago in the league. This time round, the competition had changed, but the end result was expected to remain the same. The FA Cup third round tie evoked memories of classics past in the competition between the two teams, with Amorim’s gameplan once again being carried out to a tee by his charges. Arsenal were frustrated as United defended resolutely and tried to pick their opponents off on the counter attack.
In the second half, much like at Anfield, they were rewarded. Alejandro Garnacho, who laid on Amad’s equaliser at Anfield only seven days previously, broke away down the right wing, motoring towards the Gunners’ penalty area, before slipping across a square ball for captain Bruno Fernandes to lash home with his right foot, first time.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, United made a bit of a habit of scoring classic breakaway goals at the Emirates, and this was an effort that could stand among the best of them.
Five minutes later, however, and United were down to 10 men as Diogo Dalot wrecklessly waded into a studs up challenge despite already being on a yellow card. The full-back was deservedly sent off and only moments later, Arsenal were a man to the good and level on score, after Gabriel’s effort was defletced past Altay Bayindir.
With over 30 minutes to play and less players to play it with, not much hope was given to United’s chances of advancement in the competition. But for the remainder of normal time and the additional 30 minutes of extra time, Amorim saw his team cohesively defend their goal, while still cause issues for Arsenal at the other end of the pitch. There was a character of grit and determination that had been otherwise absent until the Anfield clash, last weekend.
United finally appeared to be a team full of belief and desire. The performance at Merseyside and the knowledge that they should have won clearly spurring Amorim’s men on in North London, not wanting to allow their newfound momentum, no matter how small, to slip.
Bayindir laid to rest his horror show the last time he visited the area – a 4-3 defeat to Tottenham in the League Cup, last month – with a Man of the Match display, repelling a Martin Odegaard penalty and, somehow, a point blank Declan Rice header and one-on-one with his fingertips.
And the Turkish goalkeeper wasn’t the only United player to have a zero-to-hero display. Joshua Zirkzee – booed by his own fans at Old Trafford, last month after being subsituted during the first-half against Newcastle – was roared on for his efforts throughout by United’s travelling support and then stepped home to casually slot home the match winning penalty in the shootout. The performances of both players and their demeanours indicative of the work Amorim is doing behind the scenes to return the good times to Old Trafford.
The humiliations against Bournemouth, Forest, Newcastle and Wolves have been hard to stomach not only for United fans, but for Amorim himself. This is a coach who had a 100% league record this season as Sporting CP boss, as well as an undefeated record in the Champions League. Then he was convinced to arrive in M16 earlier than he would have liked (Amorim wanted to jet in at the end of the season, having finished his work with Sporting and with a full pre-season to work with his squad) and inherited over a decade’s worth of neglect.
Two months of attempting to batten down the hatches later, however, and suddenly clear skies are appearing on the horizon. Maybe, whisper it in Manchester, some sunshine? Four points across visits to Manchester City and Liverpool and FA Cup victory at Arsenal were not predicted by anybody a month ago. But suddenly United’s first team squad seem invested in Ruben Amorim. Methods are being adhered to and there is a collective responsibility on the pitch, with teammates finally appearing to play for one another and refusing to cower during times of suffering (of which there were plenty against Arsenal).
YES! This is the clip I've been looking for.
— UF (@UtdFaithfuls) January 13, 2025
90+1, look how every single United player immediately started sprinting back to defend the moment Raya got the ball.
Now, this is a proper team fighting to win.
Amorim has completely changed the mentality. pic.twitter.com/o0Z41Mfe6f
This United squad is still far from strong or deep enough to not have to suffer again between now and the end of the season. There still may be more storms a-coming. But after an impressive start to 2025, they could be storms that are now easier to weather.
