Amorim's big moment - are Man Utd finally ready for lift off?

It has taken 11 months and 35 games.

It has travel aft Ruben Amorim described his squad arsenic 'maybe' nan worst successful Manchester United history.

It has travel aft he expressed nationalist doubts complete his ain position and, successful nan past fortnight, was fixed nationalist reassurance from number proprietor Sir Jim Ratcliffe amid increasing speculation nan adjacent series of mediocre results would people nan extremity of his tenure.

Finally, astatine Anfield, location of Manchester United's - historically and statistically - biggest rivals, Amorim's squad delivered a connection win.

This wasn't a repetition of nan smash-and-grab occurrence astatine Manchester City past December. This was a crippled wherever United led for 83 minutes.

A crippled wherever they had chances to widen nan lead fixed to them by Bryan Mbeumo successful nan opening moments, a crippled wherever they scrapped and defended for their lives arsenic Liverpool roused themselves arsenic nan 2nd half dragged on.

A crippled where, aft they were pegged backmost by Cody Gakpo's 78th-minute leveller, had nan resilience to spell again and get a victor done Harry Maguire, created by a rather superb transverse from Bruno Fernandes.

A crippled where, Amorim admitted, his broadside had "some luck".

It sealed a first Anfield triumph for 9 years, erstwhile Wayne Rooney scored nan only goal, and successive victories successful nan Premier League for nan first clip since Amorim replaced Erik 10 Hag.

It has been a agelong time, acold longer than anyone thought, but Amorim has sewage thing to build on.

"The biggest triumph successful my clip astatine Manchester United," was really nan 40-year-old described nan consequence afterwards.

It was almost arsenic if, for a fewer little seconds, Amorim had mislaid himself nan measurement 3,000 United fans had done astatine nan last whistle, celebrating a triumph fewer thought was apt - moreover if Liverpool went into nan crippled disconnected nan backmost of 3 successive defeats.

The Portuguese had regained his composure by nan clip he said to nan wider media a short clip afterwards, erstwhile he was reminded of his comments successful nan only comparable infinitesimal of euphoria during his tenure - a 4-0 triumph against Everton connected 1 December which extended his unbeaten commencement to 3 games and declared a "storm was coming".

Has nan large wind passed now, Amorim was asked astatine Anfield?

"I person nary idea," came nan considered reply.

"If we show nan tone we did today, successful training and successful games, we will triumph truthful galore games.

"But for that we request to return action. It has been a bully day. Now we must attraction connected Brighton. We will spot aft Brighton."

Amorim is correct to beryllium cautious - and United instrumentality Frank Ilett would astir apt beryllium wise not to get his hopes up that nan haircut he promised himself - erstwhile nan squad triumph 5 games successful a statement - mightiness only beryllium 3 weeks away.

As highlighted by BBC Sport successful nan build-up to nan Liverpool encounter, United person not managed a azygous constituent successful 2 seasons from their corresponding adjacent 3 fixtures; Brighton astatine home, Nottingham Forest distant and Tottenham away.

Players past and coming alike realise location person been excessively galore promises of mendacious dawns that person vanished almost instantly to return thing for granted.

"The players will spell backmost into nan training crushed successful a amended place, but they person to usage this arsenic a springboard to make judge they footwear on," said erstwhile United skipper Roy Keane.

"We person not fixed nan fans capable days for illustration that," was Maguire's position of his first triumph astatine Anfield arsenic a United player.

"Football is astir creating typical memories and coming we each spell location happy - but we are not successful a position to get carried away."

Maguire epitomised nan tone Amorim praised beyond thing else.

Had he fixed up erstwhile Ten Hag decided he could do without his skipper successful 2023, nan centre-back would nary longer beryllium a United player. Instead, nan 32-year-old turned down nan opportunity to subordinate West Ham.

Even aft he mislaid nan captaincy to Fernandes, Maguire refused to springiness in. At nan commencement of this season, erstwhile Matthijs de Ligt was selected for nan cardinal position successful Amorim's three-man defence, he met nan situation to reclaim a starting spot caput on.

With his statement heavy into its last year, Maguire is wedded to United powerfully capable to beryllium consenting to return a salary trim to widen his clip astatine Old Trafford.

"This is simply a nine pinch a batch of pressure," added Amorim. "It is not easy to play present and Harry is really important for us.

"When you see everything he has gone through, he is simply a awesome illustration for each kid."

Amorim knows he needs a overmuch bigger assemblage of activity for anyone to realistically judge he will stay astatine United for nan 3 years Ratcliffe said of recently.

Another location conclusion by Brighton - it would beryllium their 4th successful a statement astatine Old Trafford adjacent play - would spot nan vultures circling again.

He knows galore of those who study and speak astir nan nine have, successful nationalist aliases private, expressed a position Amorim will suffer his occupation sooner alternatively than later.

It is emblematic he should invited specified talk and usage it arsenic motivation, while besides taking solace from nan knowledge he has fixed nan supporters who person paid truthful overmuch to spot truthful small successful caller times - including embarrassment astatine League Two Grimsby successful nan EFL Cup successful August - yet still singing successful his honour, a time to remember.

"It is not normal to find thing for illustration this. So galore bad moments, and to person nan fans ever supporting nan head erstwhile each 1 of you is saying 'until Christmas', he's gone.

"I want you guys (media) to proceed pinch nan communicative you are. Don't alteration that. That is champion for me.

"I don't person galore wins successful Manchester. Our fans struggled against Grimsby, they struggled against Brentford. Today they saw a different team.

"This triumph is for them."