Capable of holding off the undisputed Premier League leader, Liverpool, this Sunday at Anfield, Manchester United left mixed feelings after a draw that, while positive, was marked by frustration and discontent within the team.

Portuguese coach Rúben Amorim is enduring a nightmare at the helm of Manchester United, yet he achieved a significant result. After suffering a fourth consecutive league defeat midweek against Newcastle (0-2), the sixth loss in nine matches since taking over the Red Devils, Amorim ended the losing streak with a 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Matchday 20. It was a standout performance at the always-challenging Anfield, in a spectacular and well-played match by the Manchester side—something unusual this season.

In an intense atmosphere with snow surrounding the stadium, Amorim's team displayed a serious, solid, and convincing level of play, to the extent that a victory against a struggling Reds side wouldn’t have been far-fetched. However, the draw left a bittersweet taste. Bruno Fernandes, the team captain, expressed his frustration after the match.

“We have been criticized, and rightly so. Our position in the standings (13th) says it all. We wanted to win today, but the result is fair. I’m quite upset. If we can perform like this against Liverpool, the league leader, why can’t we do it in every game? It’s very frustrating. We told ourselves we need to give more to move forward,” Fernandes said to Sky Sports after the match.

A first step toward recovery?

Although Manchester United showed significant progress in their play and stood out against one of Europe’s most formidable opponents, Bruno Fernandes made it clear this performance must not be an isolated incident in an otherwise disappointing season.

“We can’t stop here. We need to use this frustration to win the next match and understand that this must be our standard. If we can do it at Anfield, we must do it on every pitch,” added the Portuguese midfielder.

Echoing his captain, Rúben Amorim also emphasized the importance of maintaining this attitude moving forward. “We’re going through a tough time (...) Today, we showed we can do it,” the Portuguese coach told Sky Sports.
“The way we played is what we need to replicate in the future. I’m happy with the performance, not the results. I’m really angry about the previous matches,” admitted Amorim, who did not hide his discontent despite the improvement seen at Anfield.

“Today, I felt the players really wanted to win. The important thing is not to let up tomorrow and to keep this level. I’ll do everything possible to make the players understand they need to push themselves and suffer during matches. I’m working on the basics, and we need to move forward,” the coach concluded.

This Sunday, Manchester United took a small step toward recovery after a challenging start to the season. The next challenge will be to capitalize on this performance to build positive momentum and climb up the table. A tall order indeed.