DAVID McDONNELL

Verdict from Old Trafford

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advantage with the dismissal of goalscorer Casemiro in first-half added time and conceded with 10 minutes left, United's players kept their heads, their discipline and ultimately hauled themselves over the winning line.

There were heroic displays from several players in sodden red shirts, including skipper Bruno Fernandes, who opened the scoring, and defenders Matthijs De Ligt and Luke Shaw, who were both found wanting in United’s 3-0 derby defeat a week ago, but redeemed themselves here.

This was the first of a three-game run, before the next international break, that would determine Amorim' United fate, despite the club bosses giving him their full backing.

Yet had United lost this game to Enzo Maresca’s world champions, the pressure would have intensified on the Portuguese, 40, ahead of next Saturday's lunchtime trip to Brentford.