'Very good' - Ruben Amorim highlights why Brighton are difficult to beat after breaking Old Trafford hoodoo
Ruben Amorim said Manchester United put in a ‘complete performance’ to finally secure a home victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Red Devils ended a run of three consecutive home defeats against Brighton in a six-goal thriller at Old Trafford.
Albion almost staged an incredible comeback from three goals down but Bryan Mbeumo’s second of the night – in the sixth minute of injury-time – made sure of the victory.
“It [the victory] was really important,” Amorim told reporters post-match.
"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 little bit in the end, but I think we deserved the win against a very good team, a team that is really hard to press really high but we did well.
"I think they [Man United players] are more confident. I think the best game this season was against Arsenal – the first one – but when you are a little bit more confident, you have a different spirit,
"Sometimes you have a little bit luck in certain moments of the game that help you to win games. We are a little bit more free playing the game and, like last week [at Liverpool], we had a little bit of luck. Because of that, we are in a different spirit.”
With Brighton being a difficult team to press, Amorim was asked if it was a conscious decision forDiogo Dalot and Luke Shaw to be ‘aggressive when Rutter and Welbeck dropped in’.
"That was the plan,” Amorim said.
"Then when we have Harry Maguire, we can defend better. Luke is not really tall but he's fast, he's aggressive. We pressed a little bit higher and we know that they are so confident.
"If we win the ball we have the players in front of the goal. They are so good at contending, you just need one chance when you win the ball and I think we did really well, especially in the first half.”
The United manager was also asked if this was ‘more of a statement win’ than the one at Anfield – given Brighton's record at Old Trafford.
"I had that feeling,” Amorim replied.
"I think it was a more complete performance. You can say whatever you want to say about Liverpool but they didn't deserve to lose that game.
"We deserved to win but they didn't deserve to lose.
“I think today we did a little bit of everything. We had the ball, we created chances, we defended high, we defended low.
“It's not a statement but I feel more complete as a manager. Today I think I liked it [the performance[ more than last week.”