Things can change very quickly for a manager at Manchester United.
Within just 3 weeks, Ruben Amorim from the prospect of being fired became a candidate for the title of Best Coach of the Month. At one point at City Ground, when Man United led Nottingham Forest 1-0, Amorim's team even rose to second place in the Premier League rankings, becoming Arsenal's closest chasing opponent.
However, the scenario quickly reversed when Forest scored 2 goals in just the first 92 seconds of the second half. It was thanks to Amad Diallo's spectacular equalizer in the last minute that the "Red Devils" were able to leave the field with a valuable point. Amorim once again felt the harshness and fluctuations of the coaching profession at Old Trafford.
After the match, the Portuguese captain admitted his disappointment at dropping two points, but also chose a more positive approach.
"I think we did some good things. I also felt the team's energy had decreased a bit. When that happens, you can see the opponent starting to take over the game.
We played well, but could not fully develop our strength. However, I clearly feel that the players have tried, they have tried this week, and today too" - Amorim said.
Although Man United have won 3 consecutive victories, thereby reaching the group to participate in the European Cup, Amorim still kept his alertness. Entering the weekly press conference in Carrington, the Portuguese strategist sent a cautious warning.
"The past 3 weeks have been a great time, but we are still in the development stage. And at this stage, everything can change after just one match," said the Man United coach.
Those words quickly came true in the turbulent draw with Nottingham Forest.
This is the first time since the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth in April that Man United have won points after falling behind. It is a sign that the team's fighting spirit and bravery under Amorim are gradually taking shape.
At least, the rebound and confidence - factors that were very fragile in last season - have now returned. Man United are no longer easy to fall into when facing adversity, and their progress is still being maintained stably.
Of course, Amorim will have a lot to reflect on before visiting Tottenham this weekend. There are bright spots for him to be proud of, but there are also problems that need to be overcome.
Man United under Amorim is still a journey full of ups and downs - sometimes flying high with impressive victories, sometimes roaring with moments of distraction. But at least they have found the fighting spirit that fans at Old Trafford have longed for.
"We lost control of the game for five minutes and paid the price. Before that, we had 3 good matches and now the team has another confidence. We could have had some bad moments, but then suddenly we got back into the game. That is football.
A match is like a whole season - there are times of sublimation, then there are times of difficulty. We had great moments, scored goals and completely controlled the game at the end of the first half. But when the second half started, we got into trouble and lost our tempo," Amorim added.
