Man United just won a big 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad in the second leg of the 1/8 round of the Europa League, thereby getting a ticket to the quarter-finals to face Lyon.
The return match at Old Trafford really exploded when the home team was behind early but made an eye-catching comeback. To have the fighting spirit to the last minutes like that, it cannot be denied that the physical condition of the Man United players has improved a lot.
"If you think we will play Leicester like we did today, it is wrong. Man United will have to face a completely different opponent and physical strength is extremely important, especially in harsh environments like the Premier League" - Ruben Amorim shared after the win over Sociedad.
Against Leicester, despite being a weak opponent but having to play away, Man United took about the first 30 minutes to get caught up with the opponent's speed. When he was at Old Trafford, Erik ten Hag once said that the Premier League was a land of "flesh or meat eating" to compare the fierceness of this playground. If it were not for Rasmus Hojlund's surprise goal, it is uncertain whether Man United would have left King Power with 3 points.
Hojlund's goal showed that the Danish striker not only has a good physical foundation, but also his alertness to choose a suitable position, thereby successfully handling the shot with an unplaced foot.
He no longer struggled when being closely chased by the opponent behind him, Hojlund became stronger, completely overcame Wout Faes' obstacles and made a big save, forcing Mads Hermasen to go into the net to pick the ball.
In this match, Ruben Amorim arranged for Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof to start, which made Man United's playing style somewhat slow in the first minutes. Both of these stars have shown a loss in one-on-one disputes with opponents.
However, in the remaining positions, the away team has factors that are superior if they have to compete in physical strength. Even for a player who has been struggling from match to match like Bruno Fernandes, he has been persistent from start to finish, keeping Man United's midfield from getting lost.
Over the past two weeks, Man United's performances have been very good. From holding Arsenal to a draw, winning a big win over Sociedad and now destroying Leicester, Ruben Amorim's team shows that everything is gradually getting in the right direction, once they are fully equipped.
"We are increasingly understanding when to put pressure in games. Whether he has the ball or not, Man United are improving the connection in the squad" - Ruben Amorim shared.
Next April will be the decisive time for Man United this season. With the status of the past 2 weeks and the upcoming FIFA Days off, Amorim and his team are ready.
