When Man Utd learn not to fall

Casemiro scored in MU's 2-2 draw with Forest.

There was a sense of anxiety in the away end at the City Ground as the scoreline read 2-1 to Nottingham Forest. Two quick goals, the game unravelled, and memories of those familiar collapses came flooding back to Manchester United. But this time, they didn’t collapse.

It was more than just a valuable point. It was a sign that Ruben Amorim's Man Utd were becoming a team that knew how to survive adversity, something they had lacked for years.

From old falls to a new reaction

The statistics ahead of this game were grim: under Amorim, Man Utd had only won eight points after being behind. The last six times they had been behind, they had lost. Since drawing with Bournemouth in April thanks to a late Højlund strike, the Red Devils had not turned things around.

So when Forest scored twice in a matter of minutes in the second half, it seemed like everything was set in stone. But Amorim, who had said “the storm will come”, seemed to have prepared his team to weather the storm. They didn’t panic, they didn’t get distracted, and most importantly, they didn’t give up.

Amad Diallo, a young wing-back, embodied that spirit. In the 81st minute, he fired a stunning volley from outside the box into the Forest net. It was a brief moment, but it carried the weight of a season.

Man Utd didn't win. But they didn't lose and that, sometimes, is more important.

Ruben Amorim helps MU change step by step.

After the match, Amorim was asked: “If this match had happened last season, do you think the team would have lost?” He smiled and answered without hesitation: “Yes, and probably by a bigger margin.”

A simple sentence but containing a journey of transformation. Amorim knows clearly where his Man Utd team last season was weak: lack of courage, lack of belief, and lack of spiritual leadership. Now, they are starting to learn how to do what big teams always know, stand up after being knocked down.

“Today was a different feeling,” added Amorim. “We may not have won, but we certainly did not lose. And that is the feeling a big team needs.”

Since his arrival, Manchester United have played a different brand of football, faster, more aggressive, more cohesive. But perhaps the biggest change has been in the mindset. They have come to believe they can control their destiny, even when the odds are against them.

New spirit from new people

Amorim didn’t say it outright, but the influence of his two new signings, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, was clear. Cunha, with his fiery and mischievous style, was a challenger in every situation. When booed by the Forest crowd for wasting time, he pointed to the Man Utd badge on his shorts, a small gesture that spoke of his pride. He didn’t hide, he faced it.

Mbeumo was like a whirlwind, tireless and fearless. He chased every ball, applied relentless pressure and inspired the team. In a team that was once as fragile as glass, Mbeumo brought the energy of steel.

Their arrival transformed the dressing room. Amorim created a team that spoke to each other, took responsibility, and fought for each other. “We were more confident, we understood each other better, we talked more,” Amorim admitted. “The important thing was to be in the game until the last 10 minutes.”

This saying is the new philosophy of the club, the philosophy that teams like Ferguson who once dominated the Premier League built: never give up. Before, when faced with trouble, Man Utd easily collapsed. Now, they know how to keep their balance, wait for opportunities. They may not be good enough to always win, but they are strong enough not to lose.

Despite the draw with Forest, MU still had some positive points worth noting.

There are dark shades in the picture of revival, though. Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo are becoming bystanders.

Neither of them has started a Premier League game this season, Zirkzee has only played 82 minutes from the bench, Mainoo 138. Neither has been called upon at the City Ground, even when Manchester United need more attacking options.

“I felt if I changed, I would disrupt the team’s rhythm,” Amorim explained. “We were improving in the second half, so I didn’t want to stop.”

It’s a reasonable excuse, but it’s also a clear signal that their position is under threat. Mainoo had a preliminary agreement with Napoli in the summer, but the club rejected it. Now the door to leaving could be open again.

The problem is that Manchester United are set to lose Mbeumo and Amad for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from mid-December until the second half of January. That will significantly thin out the attacking force, forcing Amorim to rotate. The two youngsters could be given a chance, but they will have to wait until near the end of the transfer window, an ambiguity that no one likes.

Amorim concluded reassuringly: “This is just a phase. It has nothing to do with quality – we have a lot of games ahead.”

Manchester United are not back to their glory days. They do not have the crushing quality of Manchester City or Real Madrid. But they have regained the foundation that every champion needs: the ability to survive.

From the “different feeling” that Amorim mentioned, we can see that real change is taking place, not loudly, not ostentatiously, but persistently.

Manchester United are learning not to lose. And that is always the first step on the journey back to the top.

Source: https://znews.vn/khi-man-utd-hoc-cach-khong-guc-nga-post1599218.html