Manchester United’s draw with Manchester City wasn’t exactly the most entertaining Premier League clash.
The 0-0 draw at Old Trafford was described as “robotic” by Gary Neville, with the Manchester United legend unhappy that modern players are being micromanaged.
Ruben Amorim remains unbeaten against Pep Guardiola after his third meeting with City this season, but unlike the dramatic Manchester derby in December, Sunday’s draw was a fairly drab affair.
There are plenty of positives for United to take from the match – a well-organised display, a home clean sheet and no new injuries ahead of Thursday’s crucial Europa League clash against Lyon.
While United came closest to breaking the deadlock, Ruben Amorim made it very clear that he wants to see so much more from his players.
Ruben Amorim says where Man United need to improve
Despite Neville criticising Amorim’s tactics in the Manchester derby, there have been signs of progress in this United team. Returning to the top won’t happen overnight.
Amorim knows he needs short-term success in order to continue his long-term project, and recent performances suggest United are heading in the right direction.
But the United boss refuses to stand still, and fans will love his response when he was asked where his side needs to improve.
“Everywhere,” Amorim told Sky Sports.
“We need to improve in every aspect of the game – build up, transition, decisions clearly in the final third.
“So we have to improve everywhere.”
Ruben Amorim is working towards Man United domination
Before kick-off at Old Trafford, Neville claimed that Louis van Gaal was the only Manchester United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson who was able to win games while dominating possession.
Amorim was hired by United for his style of play, but it was never going to click overnight. His system requires specialists and this squad is in need of a major overhaul.
Amorim is working brilliantly with Jason Wilcox and this summer is a huge opportunity for United to take steps closer to their long-term goal of dominating matches, and ultimately winning the Premier League again.
In the meantime, short-term fixes are necessary, and it seems harsh to criticise Amorim for his tactics on Sunday given that United came closest to winning the match.
Amorim’s communication is excellent and he has been nothing but honest since arriving in Manchester – he knows improvement is needed everywhere but that will take patience.
United should take the positives from Sunday’s clash and refocus on an incredibly important trip to Lyon on Thursday evening.
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