Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says his side played with more intensity in the second half, one of several crucial factors to securing a come-from-behind win away to Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Ruben’s Reds trailed to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s first-half penalty, but earned all three points after Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount successfully converted from two smart second-half free-kicks by captain Bruno Fernandes.
Those goals ensured United were the first team to win at Selhurst Park in the Premier League since February, on a positive afternoon that also saw Lisandro Martinez make his long-awaited comeback from a knee injury that has sidelined him since last season.
Keep reading for a round-up of the key quotes from Amorim’s post-match interviews with MUTV and TNT Sports, including a reassuring update on captain Fernandes, who appeared to be clutching his hamstring in the latter stages of the contest…
Those goals ensured United were the first team to win at Selhurst Park in the Premier League since February, on a positive afternoon that also saw Lisandro Martinez make his long-awaited comeback from a knee injury that has sidelined him since last season.
Keep reading for a round-up of the key quotes from Amorim’s post-match interviews with MUTV and TNT Sports, including a reassuring update on captain Fernandes, who appeared to be clutching his hamstring in the latter stages of the contest…
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HALVES
SCORING GOALS FROM SET-PIECES
“It's so important in our league because it's hard to play against every opponent. And you can sense throw-ins, free-kicks, corner-kicks, to score a goal [from them] opens the game, gives more confidence to the team. So, if you look at the Premier League, if you don't work on set-pieces, you are losing the game already.”
“I think we had more intensity in the second half. We played better in the second half and the opponent too, in the second half, was more tired. So, everything is connected. But again, the small things, the way that Josh controls the ball in the second half was different. The way we defend second balls was different. So, these small details will make the difference and then the talent in front, we scored two.”
SCORING GOALS FROM SET-PIECES
“It's so important in our league because it's hard to play against every opponent. And you can sense throw-ins, free-kicks, corner-kicks, to score a goal [from them] opens the game, gives more confidence to the team. So, if you look at the Premier League, if you don't work on set-pieces, you are losing the game already.”
IMPORTANT GOAL FOR ZIRKZEE
DID FERNANDES PULL HIS HAMSTRING?
“No, it was a kick. I was shouting at him because he needs to warn [us]. We make a substitution in the end. He needs to talk to the bench, but he said it was like just a kick, so everything is ok.”
MARTINEZ BACK ON THE PITCH
“You can sense that he needs time, but it’s so important for the group. Everyone needs to be ready because it’s going to be a tough season.”
“It's so important for a striker to score a goal. He's not playing many minutes, but the way he responds in the second half is really important. It's more important than just the goal again. The small details, win one first ball for us to win the second ball, the connection, that is so important for our game and the goal is really important for the team and for him.”
DID FERNANDES PULL HIS HAMSTRING?
“No, it was a kick. I was shouting at him because he needs to warn [us]. We make a substitution in the end. He needs to talk to the bench, but he said it was like just a kick, so everything is ok.”
MARTINEZ BACK ON THE PITCH
“You can sense that he needs time, but it’s so important for the group. Everyone needs to be ready because it’s going to be a tough season.”
MORE POINTS FROM A LOSING POSITION
LET'S BACK THIS UP NOW
“It's important to win every game and again today was once again the proof that if you play the same way, but we increase the way we fight for every ball in the small details, the certainty on the pass, the movements. If we work on that in the different pace, we can beat anyone. So, let's try to show that in the next game.”
“Now we have to work on the other half, when we are in the advantage, the way we control the opponent with the ball in their half is the way we should control, for example, the last two draws we had [against Nottingham Forest and Spurs]. We should do what we did today.”
LET'S BACK THIS UP NOW
“It's important to win every game and again today was once again the proof that if you play the same way, but we increase the way we fight for every ball in the small details, the certainty on the pass, the movements. If we work on that in the different pace, we can beat anyone. So, let's try to show that in the next game.”