Manchester United exhibited flashes of the formidable club it once was, nearly securing three points against Arsenal in a spirited 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim emphasized the necessity for the players to “survive physically” prior to the match, and the team responded with a tremendous effort.
Notable contributions came from players like Casemiro, Victor Lindelof, and Christian Eriksen, who performed admirably after being called upon, while the consistently reliable Bruno Fernandes once again stood out.
Despite the commendable performance, the Manchester United manager candidly acknowledged that this is not the style of play he envisions for the club moving forward, even though one player is excelling in this approach.
Ruben Amorim makes frank Man Utd admission
United created numerous opportunities, many of which were of high quality, yet they concluded the match with only 31% possession.
The strategy was evidently to relinquish possession and territory to Arsenal in areas where they posed minimal threat to United, while still maintaining the ability to capitalize on counterattacks.
This approach proved highly effective in this particular match; however, Amorim indicated that it was a tactic employed solely for this occasion and not a regular practice he intends to implement with his team.
He remarked, “I believe we performed well. Naturally, we do not aspire to play in this manner, defending extensively and conceding possession to the opponent. However, given the circumstances of the matches, the challenges we face, and the attributes of our players, we strive to adapt and discover a way to secure victory. The second half was significantly improved.”