Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has dismissed Liverpool head coach Arne Slot's assessment of United's tactics in their recent 2-1 victory at Anfield. Slot had suggested that United's "low block" and reliance on "long balls" made them difficult to play against. These comments followed Liverpool's fourth consecutive loss in all competitions.
Amorim, however, is not concerned with Slot's opinion. Ahead of United's home game against Brighton, Amorim stated, "I don't care what Slot is saying, what people are saying about our team". He added, "I can evaluate my team and I am really clear that we should play better with the ball. We are going to try to do that in this game".
Slot's initial remarks, made after the game, were that "it is always difficult to play against a team that defends in a low block and mainly plays the long ball". He later clarified that his comments were intended as a compliment to Manchester United's strategy. Slot explained that he was simply trying to explain why the game was difficult, emphasizing that when United wins the ball back after playing it long, they have eleven players behind the ball. He also noted that his team created a lot of chances against a low block, similar to their game against Crystal Palace.
Amorim, however, remains focused on his own team's performance and improvement. He acknowledged that United needs to play better with the ball and is pleased that his team can adapt to different game situations. He highlighted the importance of understanding their upcoming opponent, Brighton.
The victory over Liverpool marked United's first win at Anfield since 2016 and their first consecutive Premier League wins under Amorim. Amorim believes that attitude has played a significant role in achieving this. He emphasized the need for players to force themselves to do the basics, especially when the game gets harder. He also pointed out Brighton's strengths, noting that teams that press them higher often struggle.
Amorim also mentioned several players who uphold the standards expected at the club, including Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw, Nous Mazraoui and Lisandro Martínez.
