Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his team continues to improve as Sunday’s dramatic FA Cup penalty shootout victory over Arsenal points to a more positive future after a difficult start to life at Old Trafford.
United fans have experienced several false dawns in recent seasons, with the team’s development taking place under Amorim’s predecessors, Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Amorim may have wondered whether he had taken upon himself a poisoned chalice when a three-game unbeaten run at the start of his reign was followed by a series of disastrous results, with an improbable victory over Manchester City in midfield.
However, after a great performance against Liverpool last weekend, United performed better than expected and repeated that success against Arsenal to keep their defense alive in the FA Cup.
Amorim said he was particularly pleased with United’s improvement following last month’s 2-0 league defeat to Arsenal, when both of the Gunners’ goals came from set pieces.
“I think we played, especially in the first half, better than in the first game,” Amorim told reporters.
– We were better today in set pieces, we were more aggressive. We showed a different spirit, even with 10 players, we are improving in this respect.”
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Second-choice goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and striker Joshua Zirkzee were finally crowned United heroes on Sunday after recent criticism.
Zirkzee was booed as a first-half substitute in last month’s defeat to Newcastle United, while Bayindir was blamed for United’s exit from the League Cup against Tottenham Hotspur.
However, both played key roles in United’s victory in the third round, which saw the squad reduced to 10 players, which Amorim said was a lesson for his team.
“Your life as a footballer has cycles and moments and sometimes in one week your life can change,” he said.
“You see Altay – against Tottenham everyone pointed the finger at Altay and I understand that, and today he was our hero too.
“Joshua had a little problem with our fans a few weeks ago, and today every time he goes on the field you feel the support from the fans.
“Then he will receive his final punishment, so life is like that and you have to continue (to be) humble, work every day, your time will come.”
Amorim also said he was unsure whether striker Marcus Rashford, who was again left out of the squad, had played his last game for United.
“He’s a Manchester United player, we’ll see, he has to work, he has to represent his club and he loves his club, but I have to make choices,” he said.
