EVERYTHING went against Manchester United. They were reduced to 10 men 30 minutes from the end of their FA Cup third round tie away to Arsenal. The opposition were also awarded a dubious penalty following a dive by Kai Havertz inside the box. United even finished the match with Lisandro Martinez up front because the Argentine defender simply couldn’t run any more.

Yet Ruben Amorim’s team emerged as penalty shoot victors and with a place in the fourth round as Arsenal were made to reflect on a match that should have been theirs, but wasn’t. It was the sort of game that Manchester United would have folded in earlier in the season. Here, though, they showed what they are made of.

Of course, Amorim will ultimately hope that United will improve as a team over the course of his tenure. Arsenal dominated large periods of Sunday’s match. Manchester United set up like a lower league side visiting a Premier League big-hitter and camped deep to hit on the counter-attack. It worked, but this isn’t the long-term vision for Amorim.

However, the level of commitment and work ethic Manchester United’s players demonstrated at the Emirates Stadium showed Amorim is getting through to his new team. The Portuguese coach might not have instilled the free-flowing attacking football he was known for at Sporting PC, but the intensity is now there.

 

“We showed a different spirit, even with 10 men,” said Amorim after United’s win in North London. “We are improving in that aspect. I think we are understanding more the way we play football. Sometimes you are not playing well, but you can control the game in certain moments. It is clear that we are improving in the way we suffer playing football. It’s not nice, but it’s a good thing for the team.”

Harry Maguire played one of his best games in a Manchester United shirt. Indeed, the previously maligned defender produced a Nemanja Vidic-esque performance, blocking and tackling everything that Arsenal threw at him. Alongside him, Matthijs De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez were similarly solid with Leny Yoro also impressive off the bench.

In central midfield, Manuel Ugarte was the sort of destroyer Manchester United have needed for years, even going back to Sir Alex Ferguson’s final few seasons in charge. The Uruguayan is growing in stature under Amorim who knows him well from their time together at Sporting CP with Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo forming a strong understanding in the centre of the pitch.

Further forward, Bruno Fernandes continues to be one of the most reliable difference-makers in the Premier League while Alejandro Garnacho has seemingly embraced the challenge laid down to him by Amorim who exiled the young Argentine from his first team squad a month ago. Since then, Garnacho has delivered in matches against Arsenal and Liverpool.

Results like Sunday’s will help Amorim achieve buy-in from a squad that gave up on Erik ten Hag. It’s too early for the 39-year-old to impose intricate tactical ideas. His side will change over the next few transfer windows, but Manchester United need hard work and team spirit in the immediate term and that was evident in the shootout win over Arsenal.

While Amorim has endured a challenging start to life at Old Trafford, United have either beaten or taken points off Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City – all away from home – over the last month. There is talent within the squad Amorim inherited from ten Hag. Commitment, however, has been in rarer supply. If Amorim now has that, Manchester United could be on the road to recovery.

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