Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expressed a sense of evolving mentality within his squad following their recent 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The match, which took place at the City Ground, saw United relinquish an early lead before Amad Diallo's late equalizer salvaged a point for the Red Devils.
Casemiro's first-half goal, stemming from a controversially awarded corner, had initially put Manchester United in a favorable position. However, Nottingham Forest responded with two quick goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolo Savona shortly after the restart, turning the game on its head. Despite this setback, Manchester United rallied, with Diallo's spectacular volley ensuring the match ended in a draw.
Amorim acknowledged the team "paid the price" for losing control at the beginning of the second half. He noted a dip in the team's energy levels compared to their previous match. Despite these shortcomings, Amorim chose to focus on the positives, highlighting the team's improved ability to manage their emotions and respond to adversity. "At the end I think that is a good thing in the game, if we compare in the recent past," Amorim said. "We were a little bit different in that moment. We had five minutes where we disconnected but we controlled our emotions and continued to play".
Amorim emphasized the importance of maintaining consistent energy levels, particularly in away games. "We need to work with time to have the same energy at our stadium and away. We are getting better. I think everyone can see it," he stated. He also pointed out a growing sense of resilience within the team: "We have the feeling that if we are not going to win, at least we're not going to lose".
While acknowledging the need for improvement, Amorim praised his players and their commitment. "Sometimes I forget that part. I treasure a lot of my players when I see the game," he said. "We are doing a lot of things right. We have so much to grow. I see so much more potential to do better things. We are progressing but we have a lot to do". He added, "It's clear where we need to improve to win these games".
Amorim's comments suggest a growing belief that his team is developing a stronger mentality, capable of overcoming challenges and securing results even when not at their best. This newfound resilience could prove valuable as Manchester United aims to climb the Premier League table and compete in European competitions. He also said that in the past if they conceded two goals in a five minute period they wouldn't have recovered. On being appointed exactly one year ago today, Amorim named an unchanged starting XI for the first time since joining the club.
