Ruben Amorim insists he never felt under pressure from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, claiming the Manchester United minority owner always believed his project would come good.
Questions around Amorim’s job swirled after a damaging defeat away to Brentford, coupled with a rough derby display at Man City.
Ratcliffe came out publicly to back the United head coach and as he watched on here at Old Trafford he saw a swashbuckling display against a Brighton side that have long caused problems for United on this patch.
‘I never had that feeling of embarrassment of what I was doing or not winning games,’ Amorim said of pressure around bad results.
‘It is more with the fans because I felt always Jim believes and knows what we are doing but to face the fans is a little bit more difficult.
‘But what I feel is the urgency of not losing in this moment because it’s so hard. In football everything can change in one week so let’s enjoy today and focus on the next one.’
Ruben Amorim (right) produced a third straight victory with Sir Jim Ratcliffe (left) in the stands
Two goals from Bryan Mbeumo was the headline on a day where Brighton almost came all the way back from 3-0 down by causing a nervy finish when making it 3-2.
Asked if the penny has dropped with his players and if that is now making the difference, there is more nuance to it in Amorim’s eyes.
‘It was really important, also the performance,’ he said.
‘We had to play different games in different moments of the game and I think the players understood really well what to do in every moment.
‘We suffered a bit at the end, but it wouldn’t be Manchester United without a bit of suffering!
They will go to Nottingham Forest next week seeking a fourth win in a row, so what does he see as the secret to this sharp uptick in form?
‘I think they are more confident,’ Amorim added.
‘I think the best game we did this season was against Arsenal, was the first one.
Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, a pair of £135m summer signings, both scored in the win
‘But then when you are a little bit more confident, when you have a different spirit, sometimes you have a little bit of luck in certain moments of the game that help you to win games.
‘That is what I’m feeling now, that we are a little bit more free playing the game.
‘Like last week we had a little bit of luck because of that, because we are in a different spirit.’
