Ruben Amorim: 'We played worse but still managed to win'

In the post-match interview after the Premier League Round 18 game against Newcastle, coach Ruben Amorim acknowledged that Man United played worse than the opposition today, yet the team achieved the crucial result — a win.

Manchester United secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Newcastle in the 18th round of the Premier League, in a match where Red Devils fans experienced a full range of emotions. Although Newcastle pushed forward more in the second half, controlled possession, and continuously pressured Man United’s goal, the Red Devils players stood firm under sustained pressure, maintaining their slim advantage until the final whistle.

After the match, coach Ruben Amorim frankly admitted that his team played worse than their opponents today but still won, emphasizing the team’s spirit of “enduring together.” He said:

“It felt like we were playing two games in one. The entire team had to endure together, both in the stands and on the pitch. Everything was really tough for us. The first half was good, but in the second half, we mostly defended and relied on Matheus Cunha. We had a few chances from counterattacks, but this was still an important victory. I’ve had many matches where we played very well but didn’t get all three points. Today was the opposite. We endured together and secured the win.”

Another notable bright spot for MU in this game was the performance of Patrick Dorgu. The young Danish player showed confidence, energy, and made a strong impression with a spectacular volley. Regarding why Dorgu shone, Amorim confirmed that changing his role helped the player better showcase his abilities:

“Because I placed Dorgu in a more advanced position on the field. His responsibilities changed from before. He had more freedom, could take more risks, and I think that helped him play better. Players need to understand this, and Manuel Ugarte also had a very good game today: sometimes you can have a great day, but the next day things might be worse. You have to accept that, keep training seriously, and move forward.”

With this important victory, Manchester United temporarily moved up to 5th place on the Premier League standings, closing the gap on Chelsea in the race for the top 4. Although there are still many issues to improve, especially in controlling the game when short on personnel, these 3 points against Newcastle clearly carry great significance for morale, boosting Ruben Amorim’s squad confidence for the rest of the season.