'We have improved': Ruben Amorim positive despite Manchester United's reality check at Arsenal

Portuguese remaining optimistic after first defeat in charge as Gunners' set-piece prowess proves too much

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim. EPA

Before Manchester United were undone by two inswinging corners which led to two Arsenal goals, there were some moderately encouraging signs for Ruben Amorim’s side. United were harder to play through than they have been, with Manuel Ugarte effective in breaking up play in the first half as Arsenal were forced wide.

The Uruguayan knows his coach well since he worked under him at Sporting Lisbon, but there’s little favouritism here: Old Trafford’s new boss is giving each member of his squad a fair chance to impress and, such was United’s pitiful recent record at the Emirates, going into half time at 0-0 was progress.

United had more possession, pressed well at the start and looked competent in defence and midfield in a new 3-5-2 system. These are the smallest of mercies: United boasted one draw and five defeats from the previous six games at the Emirates. That’s now six defeats in seven after a 2-0 win for Mikel Arteta’s side on Wednesday night which moved them to third.

Amorim's side are 11th with as many defeats as wins from the 14 league games so far. The teams will meet again at the same venue at the start of January in an FA Cup third round tie. With two games per week including matches against Manchester City and Liverpool, plus Spurs away in the League Cup, it’s going to be a difficult month ahead for United's new boss.

He had enjoyed less challenging fixtures in his first three games, winning two and drawing one – but at Arsenal, reality bit.

He’s got a huge job on his hands. It was the 39-year-old’s first defeat and he’ll have to work out how his side get closer to the top teams. Amorim, with his favoured 3-5-2 formation, wants high intensity pressure, and he got that in the first half when Arteta encouraged more support from his fans on a damp north London night.

That alone showed a modicum of respect for the determined visitors, but then his rejigged side did what United have struggled to do so much this season: score.

United had only six touches in the Arsenal box, Arsenal had 35 at the other end. Mason Mount and Diogo Dalot did shoot from distance, but the closest United came to scoring was from a Matthijs De Ligt header. It was all too tame.

“You can take positive things but we have improved,” Amorim told The National. “You can feel it in the stadium in the first half, especially at the end of the first half they were not comfortable. We had one day to put a strategy and they couldn’t cope with that. They blocked, the right side of Arsenal, with a lot of players and we managed to control this area very well. The difference today was the set pieces. We saw a goal and then the momentum changed. Then it was really hard to take full control of the game.”

What about those 13 Arsenal corners, two of which led to goals? United didn’t have any.

“We want to be very dangerous and effective from every angle, every phase of play,” said Arteta. “The team has the belief that from every angle we have the ability to threaten the opponent.”

It wasn’t like Arsenal's threat wasn’t known. The Gunners have scored 22 goals from corners in the Premier League since the start of last season, far more than any other team. Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka usually deliver them accurately and Arsenal’s players are effective in their positions to receive them.

Almost all of Arsenal’s corners dropped with pinpoint accuracy on to United’s goalkeeper Andre Onana. United simply couldn’t handle them and Arsenal could have scored more from set pieces.

United’s new boss has had little time to train properly with his players.

“We worked a lot on building up, you can see the structure, the idea, the balance when the centre backs move to the midfield,” Amorim said. “But in the last part of the last third you can see that we need to improve, with more aggression and more ideas.”

United’s next game is at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Amorim will be there, animated on his area in his big Paul Smith puffa jacket, skinny jeans and pristine white trainers. They were muddied for the first time on Tuesday in north London.