Head coach says his side need to “understand the moments of the game” and “work together” to protect leads
Ruben Amorim believes he has talented and quality defenders despite conceding four goals in a dramatic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth that once again exposed his side’s weaknesses in protecting a lead.
United were ahead three times at Old Trafford and looked on course for victory when Matheus Cunha made it 4-3 late on. But substitute Eli Junior Kroupi scored five minutes later, leaving Amorim’s team with a point and a sense of another missed opportunity.
Errors were spread across the back line. Luke Shaw and Diogo Dalot were caught out in the build-up to goals, while Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro were slow to react for Evanilson’s early second-half equaliser. United also failed to properly set up a wall for Marcus Tavernier’s free-kick that crept between Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.
“We have talent at the back and quality players, we just have to have better defending,” said Amorim. “We took care of the offence. We have the characteristics, we just need to work together.
“You think we lost the two points in the second half, but I think we lost the two points in the first half. We should have more goals.”
United dominated long spells, particularly before the break, registering 17 shots and repeatedly stretching Bournemouth. Amad Diallo opened the scoring inside 15 minutes, Antoine Semenyo equalised, and Casemiro restored the lead in stoppage time. But the second half began disastrously, with United conceding twice inside seven minutes.
“It is understanding the moments of the game,” Amorim said. “We need to start the second half in a different way.”
United have also surrendered the lead and drawn from a winning position in a number of other games this season.
“Again, six minutes of the second half, similar to Nottingham, we lost the concentration, and they score two goals,” Amorim said. “But we managed to get back to the game, we scored two goals again, and then we have to finish the game.
“It’s not because it’s a back four, back three, back five. It’s the details that we need to work, understand the momentum of the game and we need to be clinical.”
