Coach Ruben Amorim warned that "the storm will come" ahead of Manchester United's trip to Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. And as the Portuguese tactician had planned, his first three games unbeaten with the Red Devils have come to an end.
Amorim predicts Man United will go through a difficult period as he looks ahead to the upcoming fixtures. After the defeat to Arsenal, they will face Manchester City, Tottenham and Newcastle before the end of December. However, while Man United were convincingly defeated by the "Gunners", their performance still had bright spots.
The Red Devils played with purpose for most of the game and followed a clear plan. Amorim's back three has also been effective in some ways.
In midfield, captain Bruno Fernandes seems to be a solution in a deeper role. Meanwhile, Mason Mount brought energy and tactical awareness to his position.
In defense, rookie Leny Yoro also had his first official debut match when he was sent onto the field in the second half. The former Lille man joined Old Trafford this summer but picked up an injury in pre-season.
Overall, Man United played well against Arsenal. However, the way they conceded from two corners was clearly problematic. In addition, Amorim's players seemed to lose all motivation towards the end of the match as well as their physical decline.
Although he has not set foot in Old Trafford for long, Amorim is trying to give all his players a chance to show themselves. In a way, the defeat to Arsenal will give Amorim a more realistic view of the quality of the players he has at his disposal.
Amorim has shown himself to be an energetic player on the touchline. And his passion and motivation are spreading to the new team.
The Portuguese strategist continuously shouted from the technical area. left-back Tyrell Malacia has even been given almost one-on-one instructions as he tries to deal with Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.
Amorim has demanded that his players be tighter in defence and has also urged them to be faster in counter-attacks. The former Sporting boss' disappointment was clearly shown whenever an attacking opportunity was missed.
The 39-year-old has similarities with Jurgen Klopp if looking at the actions of both on the sidelines. And compared to Ten Hag, Amorim is a much more dynamic person, thereby boosting the spirit of the players on the field.
When the "Red Devils" return to the Emirates in the third round of the FA Cup in January next year, Amorim will clearly demand more from his students.
"We have put a lot of effort into building the game. You can see our structure and ideas. However, in the final third, the whole team needs to improve, play more aggressively and have more ideas" - Amorim said.
