Amorim sees shoots of progress in Man United’s shoot-out win at Arsenal
United follows up its brilliant display against Liverpool

London — Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said his team are still improving, as Sunday’s dramatic FA Cup penalty shoot-out victory over Arsenal points to a more positive future after a difficult start to life at Old Trafford.
United fans have suffered several false dawns in recent seasons, with development under Amorim’s predecessors Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer largely a case of one step forward and two steps back.
Amorim may have wondered if he had taken on a poisoned chalice when a three-game unbeaten run to begin his reign was followed by a woeful run of results, with an unlikely victory over Manchester City in the middle.
But having outperformed expectations with a brilliant display against Liverpool last weekend, United followed that up at Arsenal to keep their FA Cup defence alive.
Amorim said he was particularly pleased with United’s improvement on their 2-0 league defeat by Arsenal in December, when both the Gunners’ goals came from set pieces.
Staff, players and fans as one 🔗❤️
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 12, 2025
Ruben insists strong relationships between all three will be the bedrock of achieving success in future ⬇️#MUFC || #FACup
“I think we played, especially in the first half, we played better than in the first game,” Amorim said.
“We were better in set pieces today, more aggressive. We showed a different spirit, even with 10 men, we are improving on that aspect.”
Second-choice goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and forward Joshua Zirkzee were ultimately United’s heroes on Sunday after recent criticism.
Zirkzee was booed off as a first-half substitute in December’s defeat to Newcastle United, while Bayindir was blamed for United’s League Cup exit against Tottenham Hotspur.
But both were crucial contributors to United’s third-round win, where they were reduced to 10 men, which Amorim said was a lesson for his squad.
𝐙𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐳𝐞𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 🔥
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) January 12, 2025
The #EmiratesFACup titleholders advance to the fourth round with an important victory over Arsenal 😏🔴#SSFACup pic.twitter.com/ZMUEFOvwKZ
“Your life as a footballer has cycles and moments and sometimes in one week your life can change,” he said.
“You can see Altay — against Tottenham everybody was pointing the finger [at] Altay and I understand that and today he was our hero also.
“Joshua a few weeks ago had a small problem with our fans and today every time he’s going on the pitch you feel the support from the fans.
“Then he has the last penalty, so life is like that and you have to continue [being] humble, to work every day, your time will come.”
Amorim also said he was not sure if forward Marcus Rashford, who was again left out of the squad, had played his last game for United.
“He's a player for Manchester United, we’ll see, he has to work, he has to represent his club and he loves his club, but I have to make choices,” he said.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was astounded his side could not finish off United.
The hosts came from behind to level, Gabriel cancelling out Bruno Fernandes’ opener after United’s Diogo Dalot was sent off, and could have taken the lead through a controversial penalty. But captain Martin Odegaard’s spot kick was saved by Altay Bayindir, who produced the only shoot-out save from Kai Havertz.
Arsenal had multiple chances to score a winner at 1-1, with Havertz guilty of missing a relatively simple chance in the last 10 minutes of normal time.
Arteta could not quite believe his team were on the wrong side of the result. “Incredible how you don’t win the game,” he told reporters.
“The dominance, the superiority in relation to the opposition and everything that we did to try to win the game and that’s it.
“We didn’t get what we deserved clearly, but there is an element that is about putting the ball in the back of the net.
“We did it once and with the amount of situations, chances, penalties that we had we didn’t [again]. We go home extremely sad but I cannot be prouder of my players.”
Reuters
