In the passionate 16th round of the English Premier League Manchester derby, Manchester United beat city rivals Manchester City with a thrilling 2-1 reversal, scoring two goals in extra time. After the match, United coach Amorim stood under the spotlight at the press conference and faced sharp questions from the media.
Facing his team's performance, Amorim commented, "I firmly believe that we put in a fantastic performance and we locked City down. We didn't give them too many chances, although we didn't create many of our own. It was an evenly matched game, but it was very different to the game against Arsenal. Against Arsenal we were in control in the first half and today I didn't feel that control. However, I believe we deserved to win this game."
Talking about the team's defense, Amorim gave special nods to Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte: "Maguire is excellent in the three center back system, and I think his defense in the middle of the field is perfect. Against strikers like Harland, catching long passes is a challenge they need to face, which also requires our defenders to be very strong. Not only Harry, but the whole team played well defensively and their focused attitude was the key to winning the game."
In terms of staffing, Amorim made a bold decision to leave Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Gancho out of the starting line-up. In response, he explained, "It's not about discipline, it's about positional competition. They are fighting for positions, but training, playing, dress code, diet, the way they get on with their teammates, the way they push their teammates, all of that is important. They have to fight for position in the team."
Asked about concerns over Rashford's off-field lifestyle, Amorim emphasized, "It's not about discipline, it's about little details. With Rashford, there are certain methods that haven't worked for a long time - do you keep doing the same thing or try something different? It's as simple as that. If they train well with their talent, we'll be much better off with both of them."
On the significance of beating our rivals at home to Manchester City, Amorim said, "It means a lot to the fans, especially in this context and at this moment in time. But we have to move on, we have three games waiting for us next week. It's going to change the way they look at the team, but today was just a good day, let's enjoy it and then get ready for the next game."
Speaking about the character of the players and the standards they need to reach, Amorim said, "There are a lot of players here who are improving, hustling, working hard and under pressure. Ahmad is at a great moment but we still need to be cautious and give him praise where appropriate, but the next game is a new start. He has to keep working hard."
Finally, on the injury to Mason Mount, Amorim revealed, "He stretched his leg in a scrum and felt discomfort, so he needs to recover. Mount is very important to us."
In addition, in response to the team being a public talking point last night, Amorim said, "I don't know what to think. It's impossible to solve this problem now because there are a lot of people in the club and players talk to their agents. It's not a good thing, but let's move on to the next game."
