Ruben Amorim has called for bravery from his Manchester United side as they prepare to face Arsenal, acknowledging the challenge will be stiff in what he believes is the toughest game of his tenure so far.
With a recent 4-0 thumping of Everton under their belt, United climbed to ninth in the league, trailing second-placed Arsenal by six points.
After his name echoed around Old Trafford following an impressive series of results, Amorim recognises that the match against Arteta's squad is a significant step-up in quality.
"It’s the best team that we have faced by far, but the test is every game," said the Portuguese coach. "If you see the last game (on Sunday), it was really tough. It was a 4-0 but if you see the game like I see it (it was tough).
"Everything now is a test – without so many minutes to train, trying to manage the number of minutes for a lot of players who cannot try to imagine one game.
"You have to know that some players have to be out of the pitch in 60 minutes or 70 minutes, so it’s really hard. In this moment everything is a test.
"But Arsenal are at a different point in their team. They are in a different moment (to United)."
After taking the runners-up spot behind Manchester City in the previous two seasons, Arsenal are aiming to maintain their winning streak over United, targeting a fourth consecutive victory.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has a strong track record against Man United, but Amorim has urged his team to disregard the past results ahead of their encounter.
"It’s important to be brave," Amorim stated. "We have to understand the game, the moments of the game and we need to have the ball. That is the key point because we want to have the ball.
"We want also to dominate some moments of the game because we know that in this match it’s hard to control all of the game."
Amorim's advice to his squad is clear: "If I have to say something, we have to be brave and to play the game."
Noussair Mazraoui, a summer acquisition from Bayern Munich, embodies the qualities Amorim values. The 27-year-old full-back, capable of playing various roles, including a stint as a number 10, has consistently started on the right of a back three under Amorim.
The Moroccan's versatility has not gone unnoticed by his coach. "In training, I don’t see him a lot but in games he’s a top player because he understands the game," praised Amorim.
He lauded Mazraoui's technical skills, defensive prowess, and one-on-one ability, adding: "He knows how to attack, he’s very technical. He’s very good defensively, very good at one-on-one. He’s a modern player. I think he’s the future of our team.
"When you think about him, you think ‘we need more like Nous’ that can control the tempo, they are really, really good and comfortable with the ball, and they understand the game."