Manchester United had to weather a second-half storm for a 1-0 Boxing Day win over Newcastle but for Ruben Amorim the performance showed his side are ready to take another step forward.
Patrick Dorgu’s superb 24th-minute volley was a worthy winner of the game but United spent most of the second half defending as Newcastle had 16 attempts at goal in all – tellingly only three of them on target – while United had just 33.4 per cent possession, their lowest in the league this season.
This was United’s first clean sheet in 10 games, with the last coming on Senne Lammens’ debut in the 2-0 win over Sunderland on October 4.
Amorim has already seen his side take wins over Liverpool and Chelsea this season but, when asked if the manner of this one made it one of his most satisfying at the club, he agreed.
“Especially if you see the second half,” he said. “We managed to defend sometimes with a back six but we suffer together and that is a good feeling…
“If we have always this spirit we are going to win so many games. I think it is something we need to feel, that we can win sometimes without playing so well, we can win games with the spirit and with a togetherness in the team.”
On a night when United were looking for somebody to step up in the absence of injured talisman Bruno Fernandes, Dorgu put in arguably his best 45 minutes in a United shirt in the first half, highlighted by the decisive goal.
Only a month ago Amorim was demanding more from the Denmark winger, saying: “You can feel the anxiety every time Patrick touches the ball”.
Asked about the turnaround in the 21-year-old’s fortunes, Amorim said: “It is the normal life of a player, sometimes you are in the good moments, sometimes you struggle, sometimes it depends on the team or the game.
“Maybe the game today with a lot of transitions is good for his pace, for his ability to drive with the ball. He played in a position where he could take more risks and sometimes that helps when you don’t feel the responsibility. I think he did well.”
Several Newcastle players collapsed to their feet at the final whistle after failing to break down a United defence that looked much stronger lining up with a back four and with Lisandro Martinez making his first start since February.
Defeat leaves Newcastle with only one win and six points from nine games on the road this season.
“It’s a difficult one for us to work out because I thought there was a real opportunity for us tonight, especially in the first half, to grab the game, especially in midfield,” Eddie Howe said.
“I felt we turned the ball over too often to gain the control we wanted. The second half was much better, we controlled the game much better, we created chances but not the outstanding chances you need to score so we’re desperately disappointed…
“You could make an argument we should have got something today but ultimately we haven’t. We have had that feeling too many times this season. Today was a step forward in terms of performance but nobody really wants to hear that.”
