Ruben Amorim received some positive news this week as Manchester United held three training sessions ahead of their trip to Liverpool on Sunday. However, the focus of their training at Carrington highlights the challenges that lie ahead for the head coach. Amorim utilized the last session to fine-tune some specifics on what to anticipate from Arne Slot’s top team in the Premier League. Nonetheless, two sessions earlier in the week were dedicated solely to enhancing his own team, which the head coach acknowledged are now “intimidated on the field.” Amorim has faced an unusual situation on the training pitches since taking over during an international break, with a series of midweek games leaving little time to implement his strategies. With Manchester United experiencing four consecutive losses and five out of their last six matches in the Premier League, Amorim opted to return to fundamental principles to enhance his team’s performance, rather than concentrating on Liverpool’s vulnerabilities. “Every team has its issues, even the best, and we will try to identify them, but honestly, my main focus is on our fundamentals,” he stated. “Instead of analyzing Liverpool’s formation, I’m prioritizing how we play our style, which is essential for winning a football match and sticking to our philosophy. If the basics are lacking, success is unattainable, so we must concentrate on them.” We have one more training session where we will concentrate on our opponent, but for the past two days, we have been working on the fundamentals, focusing on our approach to playing football and sticking to our style. United travels to Anfield with their coach informing them that they are battling to avoid relegation, while Liverpool holds a comfortable lead at the top of the table and is on track to equal their rivals with 20 league titles. This poor performance has driven United to their lowest position since Sir Alex Ferguson retired. Amorim remarked that the players were in pain, but he also indicated that they were under pressure. “They feel anxious and occasionally scared on the field,” he stated. “Thus, we need to deal with it.” We need the leaders to take initiative and support the others, and I am the one who is most accountable for enhancing the performances. “It’s clear that the players are making an effort.”
