Amorim disagrees with 'rule' after Everton loss and says Man Utd are 'not even near' target

Ruben Amorim says "fighting is not a bad thing" as he vented his frustration at a docile display from Manchester United saying his players were "not ready" against Everton.

United went into the game on the back of a five-match unbeaten run and although they started slowly they were gifted a man advantage after two Everton players became involved in a heated exchange and one was dismissed.

But United failed to capitalise with Everton taking the lead and then hanging on for the win.

"I felt since the first moments you can feel it and then fighting is not a bad thing," said Amorim after the game.

"Fighting doesn't mean that they don't like each other. Fighting is that you lose the ball, I will fight you because we will suffer a goal. That was my feeling when I watched it. I don't agree with that sending off.

"So I'm going to say how it was, we can fight with the teammates. I know it's a violent contact, the referee explained but I don't agree with that.

"I hope my players, when they lose the ball, they fight each other. No, they cannot do it so that they are sent off but that is a good feeling, not a bad feeling. But again, my players show in many games that we can do it. Today, we didn't, I need to help them. We are going to be better in the future. And today, we are really frustrated."

Amorim admitted that although they have had some positive results recently, they are still a long way off where they want to be.

"The way we see the results of the weekend, we should get inside the pitch with a different excitement," said the United manager.

"That is my feeling, it doesn't matter if you are playing well, making good passes, but the feeling. And Old Trafford was there saying, 'We are all here to give a big step up'.

"And I felt that we were not ready. Again, this five weeks, everyone is praising our evolution. I'm always saying the same things. We are not even near what the moment is supposed to be in this club."