Manchester United ended a nine-year and nine-month wait for victory at Anfield on Sunday, beating Liverpool 2-1.
Despite the season starting poorly, Manchester United are beginning to turn things around, and beating Liverpool at Anfield was the biggest moment of Ruben Amorim’s reign.
United ended up 2-1 winners against Liverpool, with Bryan Mbeumo’s opener being followed by Harry Maguire’s winner in the 84th minute.
United had multiple players who impressed, while Amorim also deserved praise.
The Portuguese head coach has survived a storm this season to secure his first consecutive Premier League wins at United, four wins in six.
Here are his three best decisions, which inspired victory over Liverpool, and also one he got wrong.
What Ruben Amorim got right vs Liverpool
First, Amorim got three decisions spot on.
Starting Amad at right wing-back
One decision Amorim got correct was in his right wing-back selection. Pre-game, Amorim was advised to start Amad in order to take advantage of Liverpool’s left-back weakness.
It was a risk vs reward decision, and in the game, Amad was one of United’s big winners, making it a clear top decision by Amorim.
Amad assisted the opening goal and had the beating of Milos Kerkez all evening.
Matheus Cunha starting ahead of Benjamin Sesko up front
Another big decision to make in terms of team selection was whether Matheus Cunha started, and Amorim chose to play the Brazilian over Benjamin Sesko.
Cunha was brilliant for United, shining during the game despite not managing to score or assist.
Playing up front, Cunha had almost a free role, and on another day, he probably would have walked away with goals and assists.
Cunha is a joy to watch for United, and this is just the beginning.
Picking an experienced defensive three
Eyebrows were raised when Leny Yoro wasn’t in the starting line-up, but Amorim’s decision to choose his three most experienced defenders worked a treat.
Luke Shaw had his best game in a long time, Harry Maguire was excellent and scored the winner, while Matthijs de Ligt was top class once again.
Amorim’s decision was justified as Liverpool struggled for large parts of the game, and without the trio, chances are United don’t win.
What Ruben Amorim got wrong
Despite the win and the top decisions, Ruben Amorim did get something wrong.
Not replacing Bruno Fernandes with Kobbie Mainoo
On the bench once again, Kobbie Mainoo got around 13 minutes against Liverpool, replacing Bruno Fernandes in the 85th minute, but it should have come sooner.
While Fernandes assisted the winner, his all-around performance was concerning, and his struggles to retain possession allowed Liverpool to attack wave after wave.
Mainoo should have been brought on, if not for Fernandes, instead of Manuel Ugarte, as the Uruguayan also gave Liverpool the ball far too often.
United needs to control games as winning in this manner is unsustainable. Hopefully, now that results are flowing, Amorim will take chances on Mainoo and other youngsters.
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