Fernandes and Amorim disappointed with United after impressive draw at Liverpool football news
Frustrated footballer Bruno Fernandes said if Manchester United can perform at Anfield, they “have to do it everywhere” after the embattled side earned a 2-2 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
Cody Gakpo canceled out Lisandro Martínez’s shock opener for United on Sunday before Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead from the penalty spot, but Amad Diallo scored a late equaliser.
United finished the match strongly, and defender Harry Maguire missed a last-kick chance to win the game by firing over the bar from Joshua Zirkzee’s square pass.
The point for Liverpool takes them six points clear of second-placed Arsenal with a game in hand. United are a long way down in 13th, but have at least ended their four-match losing streak.
“We have been criticized and fairly,” United captain Fernandes told Sky Sports. “Our position in the table says everything. We have lost a lot of points. Even today we cannot be happy with one point. We need the points and we could have won the game in the end, but it’s a fair result. Both teams played good football.
“I am very upset. If we show this level at Liverpool first in the league, why can’t we do it everywhere? This disappoints me. Also, I finally performed properly. We said we needed a lot from ourselves to get more out of this season.
The midfielder said next week’s FA Cup clash at Arsenal will be tough for the holders but “we want to get to the final again”.
“We know how difficult it is to play against Liverpool,” he said. “Today, we made a real effort for the game. Playing with some passion and heart will only give you something from the game. You have to try and that’s why we took something from today.
“It can’t stop here. We have to bring this frustration into the next game to understand where this level should be. If we can do it at Anfield, we’ve got to do it everywhere.”
@lfc Six points ahead of Arsenal after today’s draw with Man Utd! #LIVMUN , #festivalfixtures pic.twitter.com/uTOw1Tq3Si
– Premier League (@premierleague) 5 January 2025
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said it could have been worse for his team had Maguire taken a late chance. “I’m obviously disappointed to lose points at home but it is what it is and we have to move on and we will do that,” he said.
“We got 2-1 and then it’s about managing the game and trying to keep the ball for longer than three and four passes. We lost the ball too easily at times and then we were more open than we should have been. We are not perfect. We are still learning and we have to learn from this too.”
The defender said that despite their rivals’ troubles this season, Liverpool have not underestimated United.
“This is all media, media talk,” he said. “It has nothing to do with us. We prepared for a very difficult game, as we saw today. “We didn’t think anything like that.”
United manager Ruben Amorim has suffered a poor start to his tenure at Old Trafford, with the club slipping to six defeats in September, resulting in a four-match losing streak.
“We are in a difficult moment,” Amorim told Sky Sports. “If you play against Liverpool every day, we will achieve that kind of situation. But if you play against any opponent then we have to do it. We have proven that we can do it. The way we were truly competitive – that’s the way we should move forward.
“It’s not just the players, it’s the entire staff of the club. I am happy with the performance, not the results. But I’m really mad about other games,” Amorim continued after United suffered their fourth consecutive defeat against Newcastle on Monday and sixth in December.
a look @ManUtdAverage position from their two latest matches 🔎
What is special for you?
@Oracle , #LIVMUN pic.twitter.com/UG07jqgHCo
– Premier League (@premierleague) 5 January 2025
He further added, “Of course, we are going to improve in training, but it is the way we approached the game, not the training.” “You can ask any fan – the way we fight, the way we kick, the way we fight for the ball. This is very clear.
“Today I think the players really wanted this. The important thing is not to relax and return to the same performance tomorrow. I will do everything I can to make players understand that they have to suffer in the game. I’m really trying to work on the basics and we need to move forward.
“Congratulations for the performance, but not for the result. Everyone will say that the players did everything right, so I am allowed to be disappointed with them (for other results) today.
