Ruben Amorim described one of the most gratifying victories of his tenure at Manchester United after his undermanned squad triumphed over Newcastle United by a score of 1-0 on Boxing Day.
Patrick Dorgu netted the decisive goal with a spectacular volley in the first half.
Amorim was particularly pleased with how his team handled the absence of several key players, including Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, Matthijs de Ligt, and Harry Maguire.
“I’m really happy, especially after seeing the second half,” said Amorim.
“We managed to defend with a back six at times and our collective effort was commendable.
“If we maintain this spirit, we will win many more matches.
“It’s important for us to understand that we can achieve success through team unity and determination.”
In response to his limited options, Amorim adjusted his tactical approach and utilized a back four for the first time since joining from Sporting CP over a year ago.
Dorgu, who typically plays as a left-back, was positioned as a makeshift right-winger and capitalized on his advanced role by scoring his inaugural goal for United.
Amorim acknowledged that Dorgu had been struggling with form recently but delivered a strong performance against Newcastle.
“This is the typical journey of a player,” said Amorim.
“There are peaks and valleys in performance; sometimes it’s influenced by the team or the game situation. Today’s match, featuring numerous transitions, suited his ball-carrying abilities well. I thought he performed admirably.”