Ruben Amorim admitted Manchester United will be reliant on Amad again against Brighton on Sunday after his matchwinning performance against Southampton.

Amad scored a 12-minute hat-trick to spare United of what would have been a humiliating defeat to the Premier League's bottom club who have only claimed six points in the Premier League this season.

The winger equalised in the 82nd minute, put United 2-1 up in the 90th and became the first United player since Cristiano Ronaldo in April 2022 to score a hat-trick.

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"I didn’t say anything," Amorim said when asked if he had debriefed Amad in the dressing room. "I will tell tomorrow he has to rest, eat good food, prepare for Sunday, we need him again.

"He did a great job, is a great moment for a young kid to score a hat-trick for a club like this but he needs to focus on the next match - this is already in the past - and prepare for the next game.

"The important thing is to win and he helped us, he is doing a very good season and that’s it. I already spoke about this.

"We have to be careful with the young kids. Was a really good job today. He has a lot to improve. So congratulations to him, to all the team, enjoy tonight and he needs to appreciate these moments but tomorrow we are going to recover and prepare for the next game."

Manuel Ugarte's own goal gave Southampton a deserved half-time advantage and they remained ahead for 39 minutes before their late capitulation.

Half-time substitute Antony somehow steered Alejandro Garnacho's cross straight at goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale from inside the six-yard box early in the second half. United went nearly five hours without a goal at Old Trafford until Amad levelled with eight minutes remaining.

"You always believe," Amorim stressed. "I have to believe, but with the chance Antony misses you have that feeling... let’s go again.

"A difficult night with our fans, everything is so fresh. The three losses (to Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest at home) that we have. But we managed to turn things around.

"In the end, we didn’t do a good game but if you look for all the opportunities I think we deserved the win but we have to improve a lot."