For so long under Erik ten Hag, Manchester United were considered a team of individuals producing the occasional great moment out of nowhere. At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Ruben Amorim's eighth game in charge, the opposite was almost true.
This was an encouraging performance under [Amorim](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/ruben-amorim) in so many ways. While Tottenham arguably strengthened their team with the inclusion of Pedro Porro and Yves Bissouma, United's five changes weakened their side. Despite the alterations, United were often slick in possession.
Added to the second half at the Etihad on Sunday, it was as comfortable as they have looked in Amorim's 3-4-2-1 shape. Their passing and options on the ball were good. They were able to switch play from right to left regularly and moved the ball smoothly through midfield.
Some of the build-up play was slick and Manuel Ugarte's aggression was a major weapon, regularly restoring possession to the side in red. A roar from the 5,800 visiting fans would greet an attack starting anew in the first half.
However, while [United's](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-united-fc) cohesion was good, their individual play was not. Bruno Fernandes was once again ineffective in the first half; Antony was a passenger, and Rasmus Hojlund was bullied by the imposing Radu Dragusin. Christian Eriksen's quality broke down in the final third, and while the wing-backs helped with the build-up, they were wasteful in attacking areas.
So, a team that spent most of the season playing poorly and being bailed out by individuals played well and failed because of those individuals. Part of that is a result of those changes.
The opportunities for fringe players such as Altay Bayindir, Victor Lindelof, Eriksen, and Antony weakened the collective. Hojlund was the most effective striker but one still learning at this level and not entirely convincing. He struggled at the Etihad and again here. Bayindir produced a display that suggests he simply isn’t at this level.
Compare the impact that Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke had for Tottenham. Three excellent players who start every week and they outshone United's attacking players. Solanke was head and shoulders above Hojlund and Son is twice the player Antony is.
They also had the fortune of playing against a defence that regressed from the weekend. It was a reminder of Harry Maguire's value and of Leny Yoro's youth, but Lisandro Martinez was the man most culpable. His attempted clearance gifted Kulusevski a goal 48 seconds after the restart, and he was passive against Solanke for the third. That is unlike Martinez at his best, but he hasn't been at his best for a long time.
Even at 3-0, you felt United were playing well enough to get back in the game, and when Amorim made a triple change it sparked an immediate upturn. The football was similar, but the quality went up a notch. Amad and Kobbie Mainoo are upgrades on Antony and Eriksen, while Joshua Zirkzee isn't far off Hojlund on this kind of performance level.
United's structure remained the same, but they found a little bit more quality and intensity in the final third. It helped that Fraser Forster suffered a nightmare in the Tottenham goal, but part of that was because United suddenly put him under more pressure.
The goals for Zirkzee and Amad capitalised on mistakes, but from there, United's play flowed. Mainoo snapped into challenges, Amad caused Tottenham no end of problems, and Zirkzee, buoyed by a goal, delivered a much more aggressive performance.
For 18 minutes it looked a matter of time until United completed the comeback, but it was a tale of two goalkeepers and after Forster's issues, Bayindir responded, allowing Son to score direct from a corner with an unconvincing attempt to clear. The Turkey international had been responsible for the first as well.
That was the end of the hopes of a 2001-esque comeback at Tottenham, but Amorim can still take heart from this performance.