'Soft' Man Utd must survive this season, says Amorim

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim labelled his side "soft" after they fought back from 2-0 down to earn a 2-2 draw against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.

With goals from Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure putting Everton in control at half-time, United looked set to suffer a ninth defeat in 13 Premier League matches. However, captain Bruno Fernandes sparked a revival after the break. Fernandes curled in a free-kick with United's first shot on target in the 72nd minute, and Manuel Ugarte quickly followed up to level the score after another Fernandes set-piece.

Despite the comeback, United were fortunate to escape with a point when a controversial VAR decision saw a late penalty for Everton overturned in stoppage time.

Amorim, who has only managed to collect 15 points from 45 since his arrival in November, acknowledged his team's shortcomings. "The worst part is that we are losing the ball without pressure and we are not doing what we need to do. We were soft," said Amorim. "In this moment, we need to focus on day-by-day. We need to survive this season, and then we can think ahead."

While United's struggles continue, Everton's form under David Moyes has seen them surge out of relegation trouble. Moyes' side have collected 14 points from their last six matches, moving up to 12th in the table. However, he was disappointed not to take all three points after a dominant first half, crediting Fernandes for his role in the second-half turnaround.

"To go 2-0 up was great, but 2-0 is always a dangerous position to be in as a manager. Manchester United have got nothing to lose but to come in and have a go," said Moyes. "I don't think it was as much as what we lacked, I thought Bruno played well. They dropped him deeper and he got on the ball much more, and we found that a bit more difficult to deal with at the time."

Moyes was also puzzled by the late penalty decision, which was overturned following a VAR review. The penalty had been awarded when Ashley Young was pulled back by a combination of Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt.

"I thought the on-field decision looked the correct decision," he said. "I'm a bit surprised he was asked to go to VAR because I thought it looked difficult to change your mind on that. But I think when they go to VAR, you very rarely get them to change their mind."

United remain in 15th place but are 13 points clear of the relegation zone. Everton's point brings them level with Manchester United on 15th but with a lower goal difference.