Manchester United produced their best performance of the Ruben Amorim era on Sunday and were unlucky to leave Anfield with only a point as they secured a thrilling 2-2 draw against Liverpool.
Lisandro Martinez opened the scoring with a brilliant near-post finish but the Red Devils did not hold on for too long, as the hosts equalised within seven minutes.
They then took the lead through a Mohamed Salah spot-kick before Amad Diallo set up a grandstand finish with a well-taken equaliser.
The visitors could have grabbed all three points with the final kick of the game but Harry Maguire failed to finish from close-range.
Ugarte’s return was a blessing
United once again showed big-game temperament under the Portuguese, with the players looking much better on the ball as compared to their recent endeavours.
The effort displayed on the night was in stark contrast to what the team produced in their last game against Newcastle. And Manuel Ugarte’s return to the team certainly helped.
The Uruguayan, who was suspended for the Magpies test, displayed remarkable work-rate out of possession, as he seemed to cover every blade of grass to close down his opponent.
He recovered the ball five times and made four tackles while winning three free-kicks as he showed great fight to retain control under pressure. He won eight duels including all his aerial duels as well.
Improved on the ball
But what was most impressive on the night was his use of the ball. The 23-year-old had 58 touches of the ball and managed to end with a 88 percent passing accuracy (stats via sofascore).
He was successful with his sole cross while he managed to find a teammate with all five of his long balls as he time and again beat the press with his smart passing.
It was Erik ten Hag who had signed him in the summer but he was clearly an INEOS signing as the Dutchman did not fully trust him but Amorim has certainly brought out the best in the former Paris Saint-Germain star’s game.
Ugarte knows how Amorim’s system works, having worked under him at Sporting Lisbon, and having the coach’s trust is helping him adapt quicker to his new home, as seen from his improved ability on the ball.
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
