Ruben Amorim admits Liverpool are better than Manchester United but is clinging to the belief his side “can win any game”.
United make the daunting trip to Anfield on Sunday having lost their last three Premier League games, slipping to 14th in the table in the process. They sit just seven points above the relegation zone with Amorim recently admitting the club is maybe at “one of its lowest moments”.
The last team they want to face right now is Liverpool – their age-old rivals who sit on top of the table having won their last three league games scoring 14 goals in the process.
Add in some chastening recent defeats at the hands of the Merseysiders – including a 7-0 hammering in 2023 – and it’s hard to find reasons for optimism for anyone of a United persuasion.
Asked what gave him belief that United could spring a major surprise on Sunday, Amorim said: “Because in football, in one game anything can happen. If you talk about the season, then almost every time the best team wins. In the moment they are better than us but we can win any game. We have to focus not on the context but the performance. We have to improve the simple things.”
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Training ground the best place to rectify problems – Amorim
Amorim has struggled to implement his favoured 3-4-3 formation that brought him success at previous club Sporting CP but is hoping time on the training ground will see a more cohesive performance at the weekend.
“We have had more time to train, two days in a row, I think that can help us. Of course, it is a difficult moment because we are losing too many matches, we are going to face the best team this year. We want to improve the performance compared to the last game [a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday night]. We can’t change the past, we want to change what comes.
“You can see the lack of possession in the last game in the first half, everyone was so anxious, so nervous. The crosses, everything was so important, it is hard to say one thing but the possession, the way we controlled the tempo, understanding how we should play.”
A heavy defeat will increase the pressure on Amorim despite the fact he has only been in the job since November.
The Portuguese is not concerned with any potential fall-out, though, as he attempts to lead United to a first win at Anfield in nine years.
“I am just focused on the performance,” he said. “I have not focused on losing or what could happen. We had some losses, we prepared this game to win and we know what we are going to face.
“My focus is to prepare the team to not suffer that difficult moment you saw in the first 15 minutes against Newcastle, I want to improve that.
“We know that it is going to be a tough moment, really different context for both teams. They had that strong base for long years but we work this week to win the game, we will try to do that.”
Maguire to stay a Red
Amorim confirmed United would trigger the option to retain Harry Maguire for another 12 months after admitting the team lacked leaders.
“I think it is not one thing of our team, it is all the teams,” he said. “If you want to be a top, top team you have to be leaders and we have that in the dressing room, but they have to step up.
“We have a lot of young kids also and this moment is really hard. We can look at the table but you are still Manchester United.”
