January 6, 2025: Despite entering their clash against Liverpool in a dismal run of form, Manchester United showcased resilience under Ruben Amorim, securing a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Anfield in what was a dramatic encounter on Sunday. The Red Devils, who had suffered four consecutive defeats to end 2024, were coming off a string of poor results and failed to score in three of those matches. Fans and pundits were bracing for another humbling at the hands of the Premier League leaders.
However, United proved their critics wrong, showing remarkable fight and even having the chance to snatch all three points. After a solid opening period, United were first on the scoresheet with a thunderous goal from Lisandro Martinez. Liverpool responded through Cody Gakpo, but the visitors regained the lead via Mohammed Salah’s penalty. United’s Amad Diallo equalized with a well-taken goal in a thrilling second half, with Alejandro Garnacho providing the assist.
Ruben Amorim, though satisfied with the overall performance, couldn’t hide his frustration. Speaking after the match, the United boss emphasized that it was not about the tactical or technical aspects, but about the team’s mentality. He said, “I get more mad because of the other games. It’s even harder to understand some things. This is not about the system, the technique, it’s about something else. I am upset today, really upset. I am pleased with the performance, but everyone today is going to say that the team did a good job. Today I am allowed to be the only guy upset with the team – but today we were a team.”
Amorim highlighted United’s inconsistency, pointing out that while there have been flashes of good performances, they need to be more consistent in their approach, week in and week out. He added, “We had some good games during this last month but then we dropped again. It’s something that we need to be really consistent. We had this talk after Manchester City, it was the same. I want to see my team play so much better, but I think the most important thing to address today is the mentality and that is the key for everything.”
United’s captain, Bruno Fernandes, mirrored his manager’s frustrations, calling for more consistency in their performances. The Portuguese midfielder admitted that despite the positive display against Liverpool, the result left him unsatisfied. He said, “Obviously, we’ve been criticised, and fairly, because the position in the table says it all. We’ve lost too many points. Even today, we can’t be happy with the draw, because we need points more than they need.”
Fernandes, who has often been the vocal leader on the field, questioned why the team couldn’t replicate the same intensity and focus against lower-ranked sides. He added, “It’s a really good result and a fair result, both teams played good football and it was intense. I’m pretty upset because we can show this against Liverpool at Anfield, first in the league, the outstanding team in the Premier League this season, why can’t we do this every week?”
The result left Manchester United 13th in the Premier League standings, a staggering 23 points behind leaders Liverpool. With the Red Devils’ inconsistent form still a major concern, their focus will now turn to the upcoming FA Cup third-round match against Arsenal at the Emirates next Sunday.
For Amorim and United, the challenge now lies in translating the fighting spirit they showed at Anfield into consistent performances week after week. There’s no doubt that time is running out to salvage their season, and the upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining whether they can turn the tide.
