Ruben Amorim is about to learn something new about his Manchester United players

It seems ludicrous to suggest a trip to the Emirates or Anfield could be an easier assignment than a home clash against a so-called 'smaller' team. Yet when character is an issue in your side, maybe it's not so farfetched a suggestion.

Manchester United did something only six teams have managed this season when they stopped Liverpool taking all three points in the recent Premier League clash at Anfield. They then dug in and managed to take their FA Cup tie with Arsenal to penalties, despite playing more than an hour with ten men following Diogo Dalot's expulsion.

If a side can do that having been battered by Newcastle in a 2-0 defeat that could easily have seen the visitors score four or five by half time, a result that came just days after being beaten by relegation strugglers Wolves, something must be wrong.

Bruno Fernandes suggested as much following the draw at Liverpool, telling Sky Sports: "Obviously I think it's a really good result and we could have won the game in the end but I think it's a fair result. Both teams played really good and it was intense football.

"There were chances for both sides but we can't be satisfied. And I'm pretty upset because if we showed this today against Liverpool, who are first in the league, at Anfield, so they are probably the outstanding team in the league this season, why can't we do this every week?"

Off days are part and parcel of sport, and no team can be at their best 100 per cent of the time, but the United captain makes a very fair point when they've been so frequent for so long. United's last two games have seen them afforded rare midweeks off, with a six-day gap between the Newcastle and Liverpool games and a seven-day break between the Liverpool and Arsenal matches.

The