Amorim's 'worry' as he blasts Man Utd players for being 'too comfortable'

Ruben Amorim said Manchester United had become "too comfortable" as he said he was using "shock" tactics at club.

He spoke after Amad Diallo’s 80th-minute equalizer at Anfield salvaged a point for United after Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah overturned Lisandro Martínez’s opener for Liverpool.

The result ended United’s three-game losing streak and provided a boost against the Premier League leaders.

However, United missed a golden opportunity to snatch a dramatic victory when Harry Maguire fired over the crossbar in stoppage time from Joshua Zirkzee’s pass.

Before the match, Amorim had criticized his players for being "afraid" to take control of games, a sentiment he says reflects his efforts to shake the club out of its rut.

"I'm trying [to motivate] every day," Amorim told reporters. "I'm pushing this team in everything I do because I feel not just the players but everybody at Manchester United is too comfortable.

"Sometimes we need a shock, and you can see today we were a different team. It wasn’t about the system; it was about how we faced the competition. It’s a very good sign.

"We’ve lost three games in a row at home. In some of those games, we conceded two goals without doing anything in response.

"Today, I’m upset—not because of the performance, but because everyone will say we did a good job. I’m pleased with the performance, but I’m also the only one allowed to be upset. Today, we were finally a team."

United’s inconsistent form under Amorim has seen them lose five of their last six league matches before the Liverpool clash.

With a third-round FA Cup tie against Arsenal on January 12 and a league match against bottom-side Southampton on January 16, the coach stressed the need for sustained focus and effort.

"It’s not just about the end of the season—it’s about consistency," Amorim said. "We’ve had some good games over the last month, but then we drop off again.

"We talked about this after the [Manchester] City game, and it was the same. Words are one thing, but we need to show it on the pitch. The best thing we can do is maintain this mentality starting in tomorrow’s training."

Amorim also defended forward Joshua Zirkzee’s decision to pass to Maguire in the dying moments instead of taking the shot himself.

Despite Maguire’s missed opportunity, Amorim stood by his player’s choice.

"For me, it was the perfect decision," Amorim explained. "He could’ve shot, but he chose to put the ball in the center. It was a slow ball for Harry, and sometimes you just can’t convert. But Josh made a good decision in my opinion."

Amorim’s comments highlight his determination to instill a sense of urgency and resilience in the squad as they aim to turn their season around.