“We did not exist in the first half” - Ruben Amorim highlights ‘worst part’ about Manchester United after 2-2 draw vs Everton
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim was least pleased with his team's performance in the first half against Everton. The Red Devils secured a hard-fought 2-2 draw against the Merseyside club at Goodison Park on Saturday in the Premier League.
Amorim's team arrived at the game having lost their last two games in the league. They fell behind to a Beto goal in the 19th minute before Abdoulaye Doucoure made it 2-0 in the 33rd minute.
Just when it appeared that Manchester United would succumb to their third league defeat in a row, Bruno Fernandes sparked a comeback. The Portuguese scored a stunning free kick in the 72nd minute before Manuel Ugarte leveled the scores eight minutes later. Both teams had chances to win the game late in the game. Everton had a penalty overturned by VAR, much to their dismay, and had to settle for a draw.
Speaking after the game, Amorim lamented his team's inability to retain possession.
“We did not exist in the first-half. The worst part is that we are losing the ball without pressure and we are not doing what we need to do. We were soft,” said Amorim.
Manchester United registered nine shots, eight of which were on target, and had just 38% possession in the game.
When are Manchester United back in action?
Manchester United return to action on Wednesday, February 26, when they face Ipswich Town at home in the Premier League. The Red Devils faced the East Anglian club at Portman Road in November in Ruben Amorim's first game in charge.
Marcus Rashford sent his team ahead in the second minute, scoring the first goal of Amorim's reign. However, Ipswich responded through Omari Hutchinson in the 43rd minute, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw.
It has been a troubled run for the Portuguese head coach ever since, with Manchester United winning just four of his 15 games in the Premier League. Overall, Amorim has registered 10 wins in 22 games across competitions, losing nine.
The Red Devils remain 15th in the league after 26 games, 14 points behind Manchester City in fourth. Amorim's team have reached the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, where they face Fulham early next month. The Portuguese head coach has also managed to progress to the knockouts of the Europa League and will face Real Sociedad in the Round of 16 next month.
