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Manchester United’s showed plenty of determination and resilience against Arsenal. Despite playing over an hour with 10 men, their energy and passion didn’t let up.
When Ruben Amorim arrived at United they seemed lifeless, a team full of players who were lost and were ready to fold at the first opportunity. Two months on, following six defeats in his first 11 games, the Portuguese appears to be getting the message through to his players
In less than two weeks United have gone from a team that was expected to be beaten at home by Newcastle – and were – to a side capable of going toe to toe with Arsenal and Liverpool.
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The United boss said after the Anfield draw: “‘We need to suffer, we need to run. I saw Liverpool when the referee finished the game, some of my players went down on the pitch, they were really tired. You don’t see that in all the games, so we have to focus on that detail.”
Granted, the clash with Arsenal was also a high-profile game and so, as Bruno Fernandes suggested after the draw with Liverpool, the real litmus test will come at home to bottom side Southampton. But United’s ability to dig in and their refusal to collapse after conceding an equaliser when down to ten men cannot be ignored.
When Amorim first took his side to the Emirates on December 4, they lost 2-0. Six weeks later, they’ve defeated the same team after playing an hour with 10 men, showing plenty of progress in both attitude and structure.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said after the game: ‘’It’s Incredible how we don’t win that game. The dominance and superiority in relation to the opposition. We didn’t get what we deserved.’’
Arteta hit the nail on the head. It’s incredible United won that game. Playing over 120 minutes, away from home, down to 10 men for an hour, Amorim’s side had no right whatsoever to be in the hat for the fourth round draw, but their never-say-die attitude ensured their FA Cup defence continued.
Progress has been made.