Manchester United

More from Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes speaking to Sky Sports on the shape giving Liverpool issues: "Our shape always gives teams issues. It is a little bit ungrateful to talk about shape when we lose games and in the same way I am grateful to talk about it when we win. We always believe in the system, whether we win or lose, but it's about doing the right things in the right moments.

"We had moments we had to suffer and we did that in the game and the main thing is to do the same thing and believe what we prepare is what is going to give us the win.

On back to back wins for the first time under Amorim: "It is not going to mean anything if next week we do not win the game. We know the demand of this club is very high and you have to win each game ahead.

"Everyone was worried about these back to back wins but we just have to focus on the next game. It is massive for us to win today to get closer in the table to not be far from where we want to be in the table."

Image source, PA Media

Much was made of Manchester United's summer spending of over £200m, but the early signs from their new recruits have been encouraging, if not spectacular.

Bryan Mbeumo has settled in well, scoring three goals and setting up one in nine appearances in all competitions.

Benjamin Sesko has netted twice since his £74m move from RB Leipzig, though Matheus Cunha is yet to get off the mark despite some strong performances.

Senne Lammens has looked assured in goal since replacing Altay Bayindir in the starting XI, which will be music to fans' ears.

Manchester United

Speaking after scoring the winning goal in Manchester United's 2-1 win against Liverpool on Sunday, Harry Maguire suggested this could be his final season at the club:

"[It was an] Amazing moment. I've had some great, great times at this club and some big winners.

"Obviously Lyon and then to get the winner at Anfield it's a great moment for myself, a great moment for my family, and yeah, one I'm really proud of because it has been tough coming here.

"I've been here seven years now, so it's been tough for the seven years not getting that win. It's been on my mind a little bit, to be honest.

"I'm in my last year now, so this could be the last time I play at Anfield for this club, so it's really important that I've come here and tick that one off because it has been playing on mind."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter

Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Robin van Persie, Carlos Tevez, John O'Shea, Ryan Giggs and Diego Forlan.

The list of Manchester United players who have scored winning goals at Anfield over the past couple of decades is not extensive.

But you can now add Maguire to it.

It says so much about his resilience that he is still a United player.

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was willing to sell him to West Ham but the centre-back refused to go. When I spoke to Maguire in August after he had been left out of the opening game of the season and asked about his future, he said he believed he would get enough games.

He never lets his head drop. He always does his best.

There was criticism when he was preferred to Leny Yoro at Anfield but Amorim explained Maguire was going to be a major asset in the box.

He was. In the last frantic stages, he won headers and tackles. He didn't lose his cool when it would be easy to be caught up by a frenetic atmosphere and United were fighting for their lives.

But it was at the other end where Maguire made his decisive contribution - heading in from six yards after Fernandes had superbly volleyed a cross into his path - to give Amorim his long-awaited second successive Premier League win.

In an era where virtually every facet of a player's game can be measured, it is the one that can't - character - where Maguire really excels.

Manchester United's Ruben Amorim is only the third manager to win both of his first two Premier League away games at reigning champions, after Manuel Pellegrini and Antonio Conte.

Not too shabby at all, that.

Manchester United

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire speaking to BBC Match of the Day on the key to winning: "Staying in the game when they scored that equaliser. Although they had a lot of pressure in the game in the second half and Gakpo hit the post, aside from that I don't think they made that many chances and we felt pretty comfortable. Then they open us up with a well-worked goal.

"We could have really sunk our heads and gone under in that moment but we got together, and that is the most pleasing thing. The crowd was right behind them, and our fans with what they have experienced in recent years must have been fearing the worst. To come back from that and score the winner was really important."

Image source, Shutterstock

Liverpool boss Arne Slot said his side struggled against the long balls played by Manchester United.

75 of the 294 passes (25.5%) played by Ruben Amorim's side on Sunday were long passes, their highest ratio in a Premier League match since December 2017 in a 3-1 win at Arsenal (27.9%).

Manchester United

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "Obviously I will be smiling when I win games and I will be smiling less when I lose games. I am very, very happy and very pleased with this win.

"We know how difficult it is to win here at Anfield. It has been ten years since the last time the club won here, we have put that aside now, happy with that. I'm enjoying the moment but I am now already thinking of the next one because if you don't win the next one we are going to get back in the same feeling and moment we were in before.

"I didn't enjoy the second half much, We did not have much of the ball and I think we quit trying to play and have the ball because of their pressure. They are very good at doing that. They put more bodies up front and that makes it difficult for our centre backs to play out from the back. But, the resilience that we showed and the character to defend our box was impressive, but I know and I want our team to play better on the ball.

"I want the team to be confident and for every player to play their own game and have a good feeling to go into the pitch and help the team grow into the best shape that we can.

"We have a lot of talent in this team and a lot of good players sometimes it is difficult to show that when you are not winning. Winning two games now I hope we come with a lot more confidence for the next one. We need to have confidence and arrogance but at the same time with respect for who we are playing."

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter

There has been a lot of head scratching around Manchester United's summer transfer business.

United felt they would get more improvement from their squad by buying attacking players with their available resource, rather than trying to sign an established number one goalkeeper, a defensive midfielder or wing-backs.

That plan has attracted plenty of criticism over the first few weeks of the season, with many believing a midfielder was essential and they ended up with a forward too many.

That may well prove to be correct - but in their different ways, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have all impressed.

Sesko scored in the two previous Premier League games, Mbeumo netted a brilliant opener at Anfield and while Cunha is yet to get off the mark since joining from Wolves, he brings a confidence and assurance to United's attack - and is also excellent at keeping the ball.

The wisdom of their transfer policy will be seen over time but United at least seem to have bought good players.

Manchester United

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim speaking to BBC Sport: "I am really happy for them [the players], they had great spirit, we should play better with the ball but the spirit of the team, that is the things we are always talking about. A good day for the fans but now let us focus on the next one.

On what back-to-back wins mean: "It's everything combined for the fans if you ask them on two wins in a row after so many years, it is really important for me that is back-to-back, it doesn't matter about the opponent it is just the feeling of winning. The important thing is to think three in the row and that's the focus.

"Sometimes we struggle to choose the right time to press. We didn't start well after the equaliser but we controlled the momentum and pushing them to their half when they had the ball is important and that is where we won the game."

Ben Ramsdale
BBC Sport

There's a famous clip of Roy Hodgson from one of his post-match interviews that often does the rounds on social media.

I'll leave it at that as my response to that, Hamza.

I'm off for a large coffee. Here's Alex Brotherton to keep you entertained for a while.

Gary Neville
Former Manchester United defender on Sky Sports

They've just gone into the top half of the table, to ninth, and I think if they win next week, they've got to start thinking of pushing up the league

Because they've got to get to a point whereby there's stability at the club, the only way there's going to be stability is through winning football matches.

I think Manchester United have got a top six squad, particularly when you know that they haven't got European football, and they haven't got the Carabao Cup now.

If you look at the four or five players they've got up front in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo, Mason Mount, and Bruno Fernandes behind them. And then the centre-backs they've got - Leny Yoro, Matthijs De Ligt, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, they should be able to get a top six finish with the free weeks out of that squad.

Speaking of...

Back-to-back wins for Manchester United means that supporter Frank Ilett is three wins away from getting a hair cut.

After getting a haircut on 5 October, 2024, Ilett vowed to grow his hair until United won five consecutive games.

He might get a trim sooner than he expected - he told BBC Radio Manchester there was a run of "kind of winnable" games for his side starting in late November.

"I'm hopeful that maybe by the end of the year, maybe I'll get a haircut," he said.

"The perfect ending would be one of the players to cut it at Old Trafford."

United's next three games are at home to Brighton and away to Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter

Manchester United have been so poor, for so long, only the most optimistic fan would believe Ruben Amorim's troubles are over.

However, one thing is certain - they look a more solid team since Senne Lammens has taken over in goal.

Lammens has not been perfect. He got his positioning wrong going to make a routine catch under his crossbar that could have had disastrous consequences. But he has made saves when he needed to, looks assured when playing short or long and the defenders in front of him are less panicked than when Andre Onana or Altay Bayindir has been in goal.

United took a chance on Lammens' promise, paying £18.1m to Royal Antwerp for the 23-year-old, rather than spend on the experience of Emiliano Martinez.

It looks like an astute move.

"Senne Lammens was really important," said Amorim.

"Sometimes you need a bit of luck and there were two shots onto the post. That could have changed the narrative, we have to understand that.

"But Senne showed a lot of character and a lot of quality. We win also because of Lammens."

Image source, Getty Images