Manchester United drew 1-1 with Arsenal in our Premier League meeting at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

After a fairly slow start from both sides, Reds captain Bruno Fernandes kicked the game into life with a precise free-kick, beating the Gunners’ wall and David Raya in first-half stoppage-time.

United grew in confidence in the second half, and went close on numerous occasions, but Declan Rice was to be the only player to impact the scoreline the latter period, curling his effort in off the inside of Andre Onana’s post with just over 15 minutes to go.

Following the final whistle, Ruben Amorim met with the press inside Old Trafford to discuss the fitness of Leny Yoro and Manuel Ugarte, and waxed lyrical about the brilliance of Bruno. Keep scrolling to read everything he had to say…

Ruben’s post-match press conference Video

PRESS CONFERENCE | Amorim discusses a low-block style, facing rivals, and a key man’s role after the draw v Arsenal…

Congratulations on the point. In your TV interview, you said in the future you don’t want your team to play like that, but most people would have thought that that today was a lot better than a lot of other performances. Could you just explain?

“It’s just the low block. It’s just the way to give the the ball to the opponent. It’s just that. But the spirit to follow the plan, to be together, that is a good thing. This is an example for the future, but I’m just saying [about] the low block. And you can feel it a little bit, the frustration of our fans in the first half, that’s all.”

Could you explain what it is that you want different though? Do you want to start your team further up the pitch? Because, as I say, I think most fans would have thought that you’d played well.

“No, and I think the plan was perfect. What I mean is that we have to have more possession of the ball, more control of the ball, to press a little bit high. We press sometimes, especially in the goal-kicks and on the free-kicks, near [David] Raya’s goal. We press quite well, but in the future, I want to play a different football, to spend more time attacking with the ball in the last third, than defending in the low block, that is all. The rest, I think is an example and people appreciate the effort of the players.”

It seems like the best performances under you so far have come against the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City. Is that a problem? You know, what does that say about your team, that they didn’t have [control] against the likes of let’s say, Fulham or Brighton?

“I don’t know, I don’t know. Maybe it is that in those games it’s a little bit more acceptable to play in the low block, and that can help us a lot. Against other teams, we have to push forward. That’s why it’s difficult here. Sometimes, you have to press high. It’s more difficult. Sometimes the characteristics of the players are not there to do that. But when you train and you play in a club like ours sometimes, you have to push forward, no matter what. And I think that is the biggest reason for that to happen.”

Were you particularly pleased [with the result] given the tight turnaround and you couldn’t really rotate too much for the game?

“I think, yeah, I was really pleased. If you see all also the game, we control the first minutes without the ball. We score near the half-time, that helped us a lot in the end. In the second half we had more space and more energy also because of the result and our fans, to score another goal. So if I look at the performance, I’m quite pleased, even with all the problems.”

Do you expect to have some players back for the Sociedad game?

“Maybe Ugarte, I don’t know, we’ll see.”

Ruben: The players believed the gameplan Video

Ruben Amorim highlights a “very good” aspect of United’s performance against Arsenal, during his debrief with MUTV…

Can I just ask you about the quality of Bruno Fernandes today? I mean, the goal was sensational wasn’t it, when you need a big player to step up.

“I think he steps up all the time. Sometimes, he can show some frustration in some moments that can hurt him more than anybody. And I understand that, it’s that frustration: he wants to win. But, again, he’s also always available, always there to play in different positions. And when we need sometimes a goal, a free kick, an assist, he’s always there. So I think he’s a very good example. He does some mistakes. that’s normal, but he’s a very good example for the other players.”

You said there was more space and more energy in the second half from your team. How do you make sure your team starts like that in the first half of games?

“Because you are in front of the result and then you are in the second half and you feel that you can score. And when you are in this moment, you don’t feel so tired. That, I think, is that feeling. And when you start the game, you know that you have 90 minutes, 75 minutes when you have to defend, not to suffer a goal, and try to score a goal. So I think it’s more a plan. If you can be inside of the game or on top of the game at half-time, in the second half, we will be more dangerous and the players feel more confident to play a different football.”

Do you think there’s a confidence issue with your team?

“It depends. I think we are starting to believe. We believe more during the games because we feel comfortable, you feel, ‘I can do this’. We are okay and then we are growing in confidence during the game. Not so much in the beginning, in the beginning we try to understand, but then during the game, I felt that also in Spain. During the game, I think we increased the confidence and the quality of our game.”

Just on Bruno again. If the club had signed more players with his level of quality, but not just quality, his mentality, ability to play every three days. Do you think the club wouldn’t have been in quite in this position? And going forward, for you, how crucial is it that you bring in players with that level of quality, with that level of mentality, with that level of energy?

“I think any coach when he wants to bring players, he expects the best, but sometimes they have to adapt and sometimes you have luck with the character of the player or not. Even with all the investigation that all the coaches do before signing players. What I can say is that we need more Brunos. That is clear. Not just the quality, the character, not some mistakes, but the character that he has, the availability in this league, is so important and he’s so decisive with the ball and without the ball.”

Just wanted to ask how Leny Yoro is. And what did you make of Ayden Heaven’s debut?

“Ayden’s so relaxed. He seems so relaxed that sometimes he’s too relaxed. But I think we have a player there, so now we have to control and to tell him that was just the game, et cetera, et cetera. Leny, he has something in his foot, I think. We’ll see if he’s available for Thursday.”

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Amorim: We just want to win

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has explained his tactics in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

The Reds created little in the first half before Bruno Fernandes’s superb free-kick edged us in front going into the interval.

After opportunities to extend the lead were spurned, largely due to the impressive David Raya in the visitors’ goal, Declan Rice drew the Gunners level and, while there were chances at both ends, Fernandes was agonisingly close to winning it in stoppage time.

See a selection of what the boss had to say to the official broadcasters after the game at Old Trafford…

Ruben: The players believed the gameplan Video

Ruben Amorim highlights a “very good” aspect of United’s performance against Arsenal, during his debrief with MUTV…

UNLUCKY NOT TO WIN

“If you look at the chances and then look at the game, Arsenal had more possession, but we try to play the game in a low block. So it’s hard to say that we deserve it as Arsenal also tried to win the game. But, if you look at the chances, I think we were quite close to winning the game. David Raya did really well to defend his goal and, sometimes, if the ball is 10 centimetres a little bit to the side, it can change a game. We were waiting for a mistake from the opponents, but we tried to win the game. We tried to find a way to beat a very good team and showed that today.”

THE LOW BLOCK

“Of course, when you coach Manchester United, you cannot play this too much. The idea is to win the game. You imagine one way to win the game in this context. I know it’s frustrating for the fans. Sometimes, we have to do things that are not popular. It’s also the opponent. We try to choose the best moments to press high and had some moments of winning the ball. In the future, we’re not going to play like that, but we just want to win games. I think our fans understood the moment.” 

THE GAMEPLAN

“We knew Arsenal are really good on the ball and we were tired from the last game. So we were knowing Victor Lindelof had not had many games and he did really well. So compact. Vic is really smart on the short spaces. Casemiro did really well and he didn’t have to run a lot to press high. We try to make our players comfortable. To push in the second half was the idea and it was perfect with the Bruno goal because it helped us a lot.”

BEING COMPETITIVE

“It helped when you don’t suffer a goal but you score a goal and you feel the energy in the stadium. I think we did well. In this moment, we try to win games and be compact, and we were so near [to] scoring a second goal in the end. I think we were competitive. The players were tired but pushed forward and we had some situations to win the game.” 

GOING FOR THE WIN

“I really enjoy it because it’s not just that we focus on the result, in this moment. I want to see different things so I really enjoy the players wanting to win the game and not taking the point, no matter what the context. We need to win, especially at home, and that is good. I knew, if we can handle the first half of the game without suffering a goal, in the second half we can create more.”

THE BACKDROP TO THE GAME

“I think it’s clear this club will never die. That is clear. You feel it in the streets, not just the stadium. It is a difficult situation. The fans protest outside but, inside, they are amazing. The fans support me and I was not expecting that. Sometimes, it’s a little bit embarrassing but they just want to see a team fight and we are fighting. In the last games, we have showed real character and that is all we need for these fans to support us.”

Ruben’s post-match press conference Video

PRESS CONFERENCE | Amorim discusses a low-block style, facing rivals, and a key man’s role after the draw v Arsenal…

HEAVEN’S PREMIER LEAGUE DEBUT

“I think he played really well. He’s really comfortable with the ball, sometimes more than he should be! He is so relaxed and that is a good thing. He’s very aggressive. I think we have a very good player.”

THE SUPER SKIPPER

“He [Bruno Fernandes] proves it every game. He’s here to help the club, that’s the most important thing. Sometimes, he has moments when he’s so frustrated that he shows that. He wants to win more than anything. He’s always there. We played Fulham and he ran 16 kilometres. He plays all the games and is always available. Yes, sometimes his frustration hurts him and people don’t understand. He is suffering for every result we have. I think he is a very good captain and we are really happy with him.”

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Who was our Man of the Match against Arsenal?

Bruno Fernandes was recognised by Manchester United fans as our Man of the Match in the entertaining 1-1 draw against Arsenal.

The Reds had to withstand plenty of first-half pressure from the Gunners, but we were still able to take the lead in the closing moments of the opening period.

Of course, it was Fernandes who provided the moment of brilliance, curling home a magnificent free-kick in front of the Stretford End, to give us a one-goal advantage at the break.

We endeavoured after the interval, Fernandes playing his part in plenty of counterattacking play from the Reds as we went in search of either doubling or reinstating our lead – with Declan Rice having levelled as he struck an equaliser with fewer than 20 minutes remaining.

Neither side was able to take the advantage from that point, but it was clear to see why Fernandes was highlighted by supporters in our post-match poll.

Winning 68 per cent of the vote from fans having their say in the United App, Fernandes’s contribution against the Gunners marked a couple of individual milestones for our captain.

It was his second direct free-kick goal for the Reds in just a couple of weeks, having netted wonderfully away to Everton last month, and his fifth set-piece effort overall during his five years as a Red.

Three of those have now come this term, our no.8 also opening his account for the season with a free-kick goal against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup. But with his other two strikes from free-kicks coming during the lockdown period, against Bournemouth in 2019/20 and Liverpool in 2020/21, this was his first effort of this kind on home soil in the Premier League.

The effort also marked this 25th goal contribution of the season in club colours.

Already with 13 assists to his name, Fernandes’ free-kick was his 12th strike of the campaign and he might even have extended that tally further against the Gunners.

The skipper was expertly denied by a last-gasp, close range save from David Raya in the Arsenal goal, after he’d sent Noussair Mazraoui’s centre towards goal. That duo had also combined earlier in the half for Fernandes to hit a first-time effort on target that was again saved by the opposition goalkeeper.

The tireless Mazraoui was Bruno’s closest challenger with 12 per cent of the vote.

Next up for Bruno and co. is the return leg of our Europa League round-of-16 tie against Real Sociedad.

La Real come to Old Trafford on Thursday, and you can get your tickets for the crunch clash by clicking here, with seats on sale to all Reds supporters.

We salute Bruno on another stellar display as we hope that continues in our crucial midweek fixture back at Old Trafford.

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