Amorim: We have to run like mad dogs

The Reds suffered our first defeat under Amorim in midweek, losing 2-0 at Arsenal, but will look to respond with three points from Saturday's 17:30 GMT kick-off against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

In the second part of his press conference to preview the visit of Nuno Espirito Santo's side, Amorim was asked about a variety of topics, including how he will ensure his team continue to apply maximum effort in the long term.

See what he had to say to the assembled journalists below...

No manager likes to lose games but, in a way, was that result against Arsenal a reality check and reinforces what you said about a storm coming? By managing expectations and showing everybody what scale of a job you've got on your hands here?

"I think that is very clear. We are a massive club but not a massive team and we know it. It's not a problem to say it. We want to improve in a different moment from Arsenal but you can see it during the game. I think we have to believe more. We were not dominant in the game but in control. There were not so many chances for Arsenal. Of course, a lot of set-pieces but we were okay, especially in the first half. So we had some good things in that moment but you can see that there is still much to do. We need to be better in the final third and create more danger. They have to feel it. I felt Arsenal had problems to block our build-up but, when they were defending their goal, it was quite comfortable for them. It's learning these things and trying to improve in two days."

The players applauded the away fans for their support but there was a video of Marcus Rashford not acknowledging them. Did you speak to him about it at all and do you make sure the players give proper respect to the away fans, especially when you lose?

"Of course, we have to do it, especially when we lose. Not when we win, when we lose. We're going to do that and everybody has to do it. It's going to be like that."

You've alluded to it a couple of times, the need to improve the physical aspect and run more. Is the club fit enough for you?

"Yeah, the problem to be fit enough is they can cope with that if they are used to doing that in training, they will do that in games. So they are professional athletes and they can improve this. They cannot be faster but they can run more with training. We are in that path. We have to improve in training and then in games and they will be able to do it because every coach has a different way of pressing. Sometimes they use more a low block but some coaches want to press higher, and that changes the load of the players during the game. So they're able to do it if they do it in every single game and every single training."

Maybe it's a Portuguese thing but Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes never seem to get injured and are always available and always play. You said other players can only play 60 or 70 minutes so have you worked out why that's the issue?

"No, that one is like Mason Mount because they come from injury. They don't have a lot of training during the week. Sometimes, they are recovering, if they don't play, after the game, they cannot run a lot during training as, in two days, we have a game they could be used in. It's really tricky in this moment to cope with everything but they are improving. Like I said, they will cope with the games, they are professional athletes, and then will improve in that aspect and then you have something that bonds with you. Bruno can recover really fast. Diogo Dalot, if I remember, in the past, had the same problems with injuries, so it's like they have to keep a lot of weeks or months without an injury and then it will be easy for them."

Erik [ten Hag] became very frustrated with Marcus Rashford, knowing the great ability he has, but it's not coming out on the pitch. Can you understand that frustration because we saw glimpses against Everton but then, against Arsenal, he just wasn't there?

"I prefer to focus on the whole squad. We have a lot to improve, not just Marcus. All the team can improve in every aspect of the game. Like I said before, I think the way we sprint back and sprint forward, the way we fight. It's something we have to be very clear with the team. This is the first point we have to address. And then the technical and tactical aspect will come later. So it's not just Marcus. Everyone has to improve in that area."

Does the perception has to change because, with Manchester United, everyone expects them to be a top two or three team, probably where you should be seen is there are seven or eight teams better than Manchester United. So do you think this perception has to change?

"That will not change because this club has so big a past or glorious past, this is really hard. Our players have to understand this is a very difficult position as we are not [among] the best teams in this league and we have to say that, and to think that clearly. But our past, our club is maybe the best one in the league so we have here a problem. But we have to focus on the little things, the little details. I think if everything is a problem, let's focus on the small details and then we will improve the team."

The fans want to see effort, you said it's the easy bit, but a lot of fans will say it's understandable with a new manager to put it in early. We haven't seen effort consistently with this team, it always drops again, so how do you guard against this team showing effort for the first few months but then going back to old habits?

"Let's arrive there and then we can have this discussion. I just want to talk about what I see. What I see is they are making an effort. There is a lot of room to improve, changing that thing, sometimes, you can say sometimes is simple, just run, but it's something in the head of the players. We are doing that, they know it. Let's see, in a few months, what is the moment of the players."

For all the technical and other aspects, if that effort or desire to run both ways, you're not going to be able to improve this team to the level...

"It's impossible to win the Premier League without a team like that. That fight - every moment, runs back, runs forward. It's impossible to win. If we want to win, we have to do it. Even with the best starting XI on the planet, without running, they will not win anything. It's very clear. If you want to win the Premier League, you have to run like mad dogs. If not, we are not going to do it, that is clear."

You said, in the Arsenal game, the belief of the players was not there as much as you'd like. If it's technical improvement you can do that on the training pitch but when it's belief in the head, how can you solve that so the players can believe more that they can win that type of game?

"They have to have also more information on what to do in the final third. We don't have time to do that but we try to do that, you saw in the game, we tried to do it on the pitch because you can understand we had possession. One of the things I said here, since the beginning, was that we lose possession quite often. Now it's the opposite. Sometimes, we're near the box and we keep possession. So it's not just their fault. We have to give the next step. Sometimes, we don't have time to address everything, like the stretches before the game and then the final third. We have to manage with everything. It's like everything - they have to believe it. They will suffer in one against one, and we will have the same problems we have. They need more information from the staff to improve those kind of qualities."

Ahead of the Everton game, there was a plan to wear special jackets for the Rainbow Laces campaign but we understand Noussair Mazraoui declined and the rest of the squad showed solidarity with him. It left the Rainbow Devils group disappointed - were you involved in those discussions and what do you make of what happened?

"I wasn't. It was a group decision as a player, it should be, then three difficult things to manage. On one side, club values and I think all of us can agree that, for us, it's not even any issue. Then you have religion, something what we have to respect, it's also our values to respect other opinions and then you have the third thing, which is the group thing. So I will not let Nous alone. So we are a team, the majority of players believe in one thing. But they saw one guy alone and said let's be together. It's three things that we have to manage and have to respect, so it's a hard issue to address. But I think we did it in the good way. This club represent that we need to respect everything but also we have to respect the religion of Nous, it's not easy with a different culture, and it was the decision of the players."

Ahead of next year, as the campaign runs every year, will you have to make sure this is all understood in advance?

"I don't know, Nous is going to change his religion and his beliefs? I don't know. We'll address it at the time, when the time comes. We will see. It's a really hard decision but there is no doubt what this club believes and fights for."

Tickets are still available for upcoming games at Old Trafford.