Shearer blasts 3 Man Utd players 'for lack of effort' as Amorim admits its about 'survival'

Ruben Amorim will be relieved to have left Goodison Park with a point after his side came from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw against Everton.

The Red Devils looked set for a third consecutive Premier League defeat as goals from Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure left them in trouble at half-time.

However, a second-half resurgence saw Bruno Fernandes convert a free kick before Manuel Ugarte fired home a stunning strike from distance to rescue a draw.

Amorim will now look to build on that performance when United host Ipswich on Wednesday.

Despite their late fightback, United's first-half display left much to be desired. The team was exposed defensively and failed to register a single shot on target before the interval.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer was highly critical of United’s pressing, calling out Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Hojlund, and Diogo Dalot for failing to close down Everton’s players.

"Watch Manchester United—this is pathetic," Shearer fumed on Match of the Day. "You’ve got players walking. There’s no point pressing in ones and twos. Look at the space Everton have to play in.

"Look at Harrison, look at Garner. Both of them want the ball, and Dalot is eight yards off. Why aren’t you one yard off and putting in a crunching tackle?"

Shearer then turned his attention to Hojlund and Fernandes, questioning their awareness and intensity.

"It’s Confused.com for me. I don’t think they know what they’re doing in there. Look at the effort—or lack of it. Everton’s second goal is the worst of the lot. Watch Bruno Fernandes when Doucoure gets the ball. Seriously, is that the best you can do?"

Shearer wasn’t alone in his criticism. Amorim himself acknowledged his team’s erratic performances and admitted he doesn't have an immediate solution.

"I don’t know what I need to do to bring more consistency," Amorim said post-match. "If I knew, I would change it. We have to keep focusing on the next game. Everything we do in training needs to be reflected in matches."

United were fortunate not to suffer another defeat, as Everton’s stoppage-time penalty was overturned by VAR. They remain 15th in the Premier League table, highlighting the scale of their struggles.

"We need to survive this season first and then think ahead," Amorim added. "We have so many problems. In the second half, we showed more belief, and in the end, we were close to winning. But we must be better."

One of the few bright spots for United was Manuel Ugarte’s first goal for the club. The Uruguayan, who joined from PSG last summer, has endured a challenging start at Old Trafford, but his well-taken equalizer was a crucial moment.

After a rebounded free kick fell to him, Ugarte controlled the ball on his chest before smashing a powerful shot into the corner of the net. However, he kept his celebration subdued, immediately running back to restart the game.

Reflecting on the draw, Ugarte admitted he was frustrated by the result but proud of his milestone goal.

"We wanted to bring the win home, but it wasn’t meant to be," he said. "Happy and proud of my first goal here. Let’s focus on the next one."