Ruben Amorim’s United Earn Impressive Draw at Anfield

Ruben Amorim may have been only half-joking when he claimed the strain of managing Manchester United was showing on his youthful features. Since taking over from Erik ten Hag in November, the 39-year-old had struggled with a dismal record of five defeats in eight Premier League games. Ahead of his first visit to Anfield, Amorim’s pre-match comments weren’t exactly inspirational, claiming his players were “anxious – sometimes afraid,” a far cry from the fighting talk expected before facing Liverpool, the league leaders.

However, United defied expectations and delivered one of the best performances of Amorim’s tenure, earning a 2-2 draw at Anfield. While the derby win over Manchester City was significant, this was a more complete display. Despite falling behind to goals from Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah, United showed resilience and determination. Lisandro Martinez gave them an early lead and Amad Diallo’s late equalizer ensured a hard-fought point.

It could have been more if Harry Maguire hadn’t missed an open goal in injury time but the draw still represented a major improvement. Ruben Amorim’s influence on the team is starting to show. The players, previously criticized for their lack of fight, finally stepped up to the challenge. United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes voiced the need to maintain this level of performance, stressing that if they could perform at Anfield, they should be able to do so everywhere.

Amorim has stiffened United’s midfield with Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte offering much more energy and competitiveness than the aging Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. The draw at Liverpool was a significant step for United and Amorim knows they must maintain this intensity in future matches. The key now is consistency – United’s players must bring the same passion and effort to every game moving forward.