Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says his side “paid the price” for losing control early in the second half against Nottingham Forest but remains optimistic after seeing plenty of positives from the 2-2 draw at the City Ground.
Softfootball understands that the Reds looked set to mark Amorim’s one-year anniversary in charge with a victory after Casemiro’s first-half strike, but two quickfire goals from Sean Dyche’s men turned the game around before Amad Diallo’s late equaliser rescued a point.
In an interview shared via Manchester United’s official youtube channel, Amorim admitted his players lost concentration at a crucial moment.he stated;
“We lost control of the game for five minutes and we paid the price. I felt that the level of energy was not the same compared to the last game. In the Premier League, if you disconnect for five minutes, you can change the result,
Despite the setback, the Portuguese manager praised his team’s composure under pressure.
Comparing to the recent past, we used to struggle much more in these moments. Today, we managed to control the emotions, put the ball on the ground, and push the opponent back. We lost two points, but we’ll work to get them back next week.
After the game, Manchester United posted the full Post match reaction via its official YouTube channel, showing Ruben Amorim and goalscorer Amad Diallo giving their honest reflections of the game. They posted:
Reflecting on Forest’s quickfire double, Amorim said such moments are part of football, stressing the importance of staying mentally switched on in key phases. He explained;
In the Premier League, you know the start of each half is really important. We did the opposite today, but to suffer two goals like that away and still respond well shows character.
He also highlighted the growing belief in his squad:
Big teams know how to respond. When you cannot win, you cannot lose. I felt that from the team today — we were not going to lose this game, and that’s a good feeling.
Amorim after 50 games incharge had come under immense pressure earlier in the season following a run of inconsistent results, but he now seems to have steadied the ship. The draw against Forest extends Manchester United’s unbeaten streak to four matches their longest run since he took over as manager last season a sign that confidence and momentum are slowly returning to Old Trafford.
