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Ruben Amorim has warned his Manchester United players that he will learn more about them against bottom-of-the-table Southampton at Old Trafford on Thursday than in the last two matches away to Arsenal and Liverpool.
United have lifted the gloom around the club by knocking the Gunners out of the FA Cup on penalties a week after battling to a 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield.
It has raised questions over United’s mentality when they face the smaller clubs, and Amorim is waiting to see if his players can reach the same standards against a Saints side adrift at the foot of the table.
Asked if he is concerned about facing an underdog, United’s head coach replied: ‘I’m always worried, it’s my job to be worried.
‘Everybody can see that in some games we are a different team, and that sometimes it is harder to play against these teams.
‘But we have to face Southampton in the same way we faced Liverpool and Arsenal, that is the goal. Not more, not less, face that game.
Ruben Amorim has warned his players to maintain the same standards against Southampton as they did against Liverpool and Arsenal – and said he was ‘worried’ about a potential upset
Manchester United knocked Arsenal out of the FA Cup on penalties at the Emirates on Sunday
‘I think this next game will teach me more about my players than the last two, so I’m focused to see what kind of game we will play. We will know tomorrow.
‘They are different games and people expect us to win. That changes things. When you have the pressure to win, that is the pressure we want. Sometimes it’s hard.
‘Against Arsenal and Liverpool, nobody was expecting us to beat those teams, but now we have to be prepared for that pressure. We need that pressure as a team and to face the game the right way.
‘For me, there are never excuses. I think it’s really clear for everybody, if we are the same team that we were against Liverpool and Arsenal, we will be a better team against any opponent.’
United have lost their last three games at home in the league to Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and Newcastle, and Amorim wants to see more of the resilience his players showed at Anfield and the Emirates.
‘We want to be a team that is hard to play,’ he added. ‘It’s like I had this feeling, especially at home in the last games, that we were easy to play against. We have to be honest with that.
‘So if we face the competition the right way, we will be tough to beat for any opponent. That’s what I want.’
Amorim, who revealed that Luke Shaw is close to a return, expects Harry Maguire to play on Thursday despite coming off at the Emirates.
Southampton are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and Amorim says he will learn more about his players facing them
‘We cannot lose Harry, so we will see,’ said Amorim. ‘He’s doing a great job. He feels more like an important player in the team, and I feel that he’s a leader again.
‘He was sick in the last game and was dead in the end – that’s what I want from every player.’
