Ruben Amorim has told Manchester United fans to brace themselves for a "rollercoaster" final four months of the season amid their capricious form.

United trailed bottom club Southampton 1-0 heading into the final ten minutes of their first home game of 2025 on Thursday night but a 12-minute hat-trick from Amad salvaged a first outright win in seven games.

Amorim aired his frustration with United's performance against a side with only six points this season and promised to understand why United "suffer" against teams with fewer resources. United were unbeaten away to Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal under Amorim.

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United have won five, drawn three and lost six since Amorim took charge in mid-November, with one of the draws against Arsenal in the FA Cup third round an eventual triumph in a penalty shootout.

With the holders still in the FA Cup and the Europa League nearing the conclusion of its league phase, United have two trophies to play for, as well as climbing the league table. United rose to 12th with their first three points in more than a month.

If United secure four points from their remaining Europa League games against Rangers and FCSB then they are all but certain to automatically progress to the round-of-16, avoiding a two-legged play-off in February.

"Yeah, I think it's going to be hard until the end of the season," Amorim admitted. "It's going to be a little bit [like a] rollercoaster. Then it depends on the time you have to train.

"We are still in the cup and we have UEFA games for the Europa League. Then it's important also to focus on next Thursday to win and to try to be in that top eight. In that way you can take two games from the schedule and have a full week.

"So we are trying to do everything at the same time. We had seven trainings together in 14, 15 games. It's really hard, but we have to continue and try to win it. Sometimes playing good, sometimes playing bad. We will try to win games."

Amorim emerged for the second half against Southampton long before the United players, who were booed off at half-time. The Portuguese stressed that he remained calm during his half-time team talk but that he was also prepared to get "angry" with them.

"I think the best thing to help the players is to be calm and try to explain what we need to change," Amorim explained. "Then we'll have time to be angry with them, I think, and I said that.

"Today, of course we didn't play well. First off, we suffered a lot. But I felt some players were tired. And when they are tired and trying, I have the responsibility to try to help them, sometimes to change them. That is my part.

"So I came before the team because I had Antony and I wanted to explain the situation of Antony, what I need from Antony to go inside of the pitch. That was the only reason."

Amorim sympathised with Manuel Ugarte, who was substituted early in the second half against Southampton. Even though Ugarte was taken off before extra time against Arsenal on Sunday, Amorim claimed he was "tired from the first minute" against Southampton.

Ugarte has started in ten of the 14 games under Amorim, having previously worked with him at Sporting. Amorim attempted to shoulder some of the responsibility for Ugarte's struggles against Southampton after two solid performances against Liverpool and Arsenal.

"I'm trying to be honest with you guys," he added. "I talk openly about the game. You are focused on what I said about Ugarte. Ugarte was tired because he did a great job against Liverpool.

"If you look at the game against Arsenal, maybe Ugarte and Bruno (Fernandes) were the best players against Liverpool. They didn't play against Newcastle (due to suspension). I think that happens with all players in the Premier League. They can play, but they don't play the same way.

"It's also my fault because if you lose the timing of the pressure, if I don't explain well, the pressure is always lost. You feel it today.

"Mateus (Fernandes) was creating a lot of problems for Manu with the number seven (Joe Aribo) because Manu was running against two guys. It's more my fault than his fault. He's going to get used to playing [every] three days."