Rúben Amorim has revealed what he saw in Manchester United’s training sessions last week that could change the course of their season.
Following a two-week pause due to international fixtures, Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United return to Premier League action as they visit Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, 1 April.
United entered the international break in excellent form, having secured two wins against Real Sociedad, comfortably beaten Leicester City 3-0, and earned a well-fought 1-1 draw against Arsenal.
Bruno Fernandes has stood out during this recent run, scoring five goals and contributing two assists in his last three games under Amorim.
Although the Forest fixture is an ideal chance for United to extend their strong run, Amorim will also be mindful of significant matches coming up—including the Manchester Derby and a Europa League quarter-final tie against Olympique Lyonnais.
What Amorim saw in training
Speaking ahead of the tough away fixture, Amorim was asked about the current mood in training ahead of a gruelling set of fixtures. He explained that he has seen a shift to a more confident energy in the last few days amid the returns of multiple injured players.
“I think I can say that I am really confident and the players are more confident,” Amorim told the press on Monday afternoon.
“The energy is different, but I know that could change with results. We know we have to improve and we are ready for these final two months of this season.”
When asked more specifically about targets for the remainder of the campaign, he said: “I don’t know which place we are going to finish in, but we want to win games.
“We still have matches to finish in a different position. We are more confident, so we are looking up. We want to win games and are looking up at the moment.”
Confidence can change United’s season
Earlier in the campaign, it was clear that the squad’s confidence was shot entirely, with losses to sides such as Brighton and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford exemplifying the side’s hesitancy to build attacks and collapse once they conceded.
However, with Amorim clearly seeing an increase in confidence both in his players and feeling it himself, this could be a catalyst for a complete change to the end of the season.
With United set to face tough fixtures in the Premier League before the end of the season, visiting the likes of Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Chelsea while welcoming Man City and Aston Villa to Old Trafford, confidence in themselves could be the difference to winning some of these ties.
Beyond this, confidence could also play a key role in winning the Europa League. Should United remain calm and dispatch Lyon in the next few weeks, they may have to face a strong Athletic Bilbao in the semi-finals, and trust in their own abilities will be crucial to winning that tie before, hopefully, heading into the final.
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