New United manager reveals how he felt before his first match in charge at Old Trafford
United survived a scare against Bodo/Glimt as a Rasmus Hojlund brace ensured Ruben Amorim’s maiden match in the Old Trafford dugout ended in his first victory in charge.
The 39-year-old Portuguese was named Erik ten Hag’s successor at the start of November and received a warm welcome as he led the side out in the Europa League four days on from the 1-1 draw at Ipswich.
Amorim warned United would “suffer for a long period” after that first match and there were some hairy moments in his second game, but his side did enough to triumph against Bodo.
Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring after 48 seconds, but for the visitors, who can wrap up a fourth Norwegian title in five seasons this weekend, would stun Old Trafford.
Bodo struck twice in four minutes through Hakon Evjen and Philip Zinckernagel, sending their 6,500 visiting fans – 12 per cent of the city’s population – wild.
But United supporters would end up celebrating in a week when the club have been roundly criticised for a new ticket pricing plan as Hojlund heeded the new head coach’s plea for more goals.
The striker scored a fine volley just before half-time to make it 2-2 and turned in another early in the second half as the Red Devils secured their second Europa League win of the new-look campaign.
This was not the convincing win Amorim may have been hoping for and he made some telling comments after the match.
“I get anxious because I don't know what will happen, you don't control nothing at the moment - we are trying to see different things,” said Amorim.
“I don't know the players and we have not worked a lot together. We go to the game excited, but at the same time you are nervous because you don't know how the game will go.
"We started well, but then suffered two goals in two transitions. I like the way the players tried to play our game.
“Sometimes we won the ball and have had problems in the past giving the ball away too much. The mindset is keeping the ball. They are really trying and I think we deserved the win.
“I think we have improved from Ipswich and we improved in the quality with the ball.
“Of course, I see what what everybody sees, good moments, difficult moments.
“There was some confusion in the end trying to hold the result, but the lads did a great job. They ran, they pressed, they tried to do the things we have worked on in the last three days and we won!
“Half of the stadium doesn't know me, I came from Portugal and I did nothing for this club. Yet the way they make me feel at home is special. I will keep this to the end of my career.”
Amorim also admitted some of his players are jaded as he looks forward to Sunday’s Premier League game against Everton.
“We will have to change players. We tried to press all the time and the last 10 minutes was tough,” he added.
“I felt Rasmus Hojlund was dead. I felt some players were tired.
“Antony come back from injury, he had to go out of the game and we did four substitutions because the fitness of the players.
“We are in that moment and we need the squad together.”