Amorim Reflects on Everton’s Victory Amidst United’s Struggles

omidbasir- Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute for raising his hands to teammate Michael Keane’s face in frustration after Casemiro misfired a shot due to passive defending by Everton. The Toffees had started the game strongly and capitalized on the red card to take the lead through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s powerful strike. They then defended their advantage effectively throughout the second half, despite Manchester United holding 75 percent possession.

Amorim expressed his disagreement with the decision to send off Gueye and acknowledged that Everton fully deserved their victory. This marked the first time Everton had triumphed at Old Trafford since 2013, during David Moyes’ tenure at United, and it was Moyes’ first win at the venue as an opposing manager in 18 attempts.

In a press conference, Amorim stated, “I think they were a better team with 11 players. They adapted well with 10 men for 70 minutes. Therefore, we deserved to lose. Our performance was lacking in intensity, and we are not where we need to be to compete for the top positions in the league. There is much work to do, and we must be perfect to secure victories, which we were not today.”

Amorim also conveyed his concern about reverting to the disappointing performance levels of the previous season. “I feel apprehensive about returning to that feeling; it is my greatest concern. We need to collaborate effectively. I am here to stay, and although the players are trying, we must improve. We have training tomorrow to prepare for the next match.”

He expressed envy towards Everton’s determination to win, despite the circumstances that led to the sending off, explaining, “Fighting is not inherently negative. It indicates a willingness to contest possession; if you lose the ball, you must fight to prevent conceding a goal. That was my perspective. I disagree with the sending off. I hope my players exhibit that same fighting spirit when they lose the ball, even if it leads to a sending off; it’s a positive trait.”

United had a chance to climb to fifth place in the Premier League as Bournemouth dropped points against West Ham, while Tottenham faced a heavy defeat against Arsenal and rivals Liverpool and Manchester City were beaten by Nottingham Forest and Newcastle, respectively. Instead, they find themselves in 10th place after 12 matches, tied on 18 points with Everton and 11 points adrift of league leaders Arsenal.

As United prepares for their upcoming match against fifth-placed Crystal Palace next Sunday, Amorim expressed disappointment at their failure to capitalize on the weekend’s results, resulting in a sluggish performance against Everton. He stated, “It is my responsibility to analyze the game, and today’s issues were not due to any single individual; it was a collective team performance. Given the weekend’s results, we should have approached the match with a heightened level of excitement. Regardless of our passing or technical play, the atmosphere at Old Trafford demanded a significant step up, and once again, I felt we were unprepared.”