Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has praised his side’s improvement. This came after their goalless draw with Manchester City in the last iteration of the Manchester Derby. The match was played at Old Trafford during week 31 of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
The Red Devils were on equal footing with the Cityzens for the entire duration of the match and even came close to opening the scoring a few times. Fans at the stadium got the feeling that it was a clash where only one slip-up would give one team all three points, but both sides did their best to stave off each other’s pressure.
Focus on Attacking Efficiency
Speaking with journalists after the match, the former Sporting CP manager said: “You can see it, [same] as me, the team is more comfortable. The positions, we can make better connections, we are pushing the opponents sometimes to the last third. We are defending and blocking the talented players like Manchester City have.
“I think we blocked most of the chances; they didn’t create much. They had the ball, but without danger, so we are improving.
“Every player can improve. And they are here because they show something in other clubs. So, they have the quality, we have to spend more time with them. We are still a team, sometimes, that is more dangerous in transitions and we have to spend more time near the final third to get more opportunities.”
Ruben Amorim also gave his thoughts on the general outcome of the game.
“I think we did well,” he began. “We play a different game compared to Nottingham [Forest] last week. I know the excitement of the game is not the same when you are not fighting for different things. Changes a little bit the environment of the derby. But I think we are improving how we defend, we are more compact, we gave them less space than the last games. So, we are improving. We create some chances and then I think we have, always the same problem, is the lack of goals.
“Look at the positive things. We had some games and I was here and trying to remember one opportunity; it wasn’t there. Now, in the last games, we have the opportunities. Now we have to improve the last chance and the last shot.
Amorim also admitted that this result would be a morale booster for his team ahead of their UEFA Europa League clash with Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday.
