It has taken 11 months and 35 games. It has come after Ruben Amorim described his team as 'maybe' the worst in Manchester United history. It has come after he expressed public doubts over his own position and, in the past fortnight, was given public reassurance from minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe amid growing speculation the next sequence of poor results would mark the end of his tenure. Finally, at Anfield, home of Manchester United's - historically and statistically - biggest rivals, Amorim's team delivered a statement win. This wasn't a repeat of the smash-and-grab success at Manchester City last December. This was a game where United led for 83 minutes. A game where they had chances to extend the lead given to them by Bryan Mbeumo in the opening moments, a game where they scrapped and defended for their lives as Liverpool roused themselves as the second half dragged on. A game where, after they were pegged back by Cody Gakpo's 78th-minute leveller, had the resilience to go again and get a winner through Harry Maguire, created by a quite brilliant cross from Bruno Fernandes. A game where, Amorim admitted, his side had "some luck". It sealed a first Anfield win for nine years, when Wayne Rooney scored the only goal, and successive victories in the Premier League for the first time since Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag.

It has been a long time, far longer than anyone thought, but Amorim has got something to build on. "The biggest win in my time at Manchester United," was how the 40-year-old described the result afterwards. It was almost as if, for a few brief seconds, Amorim had lost himself the way 3,000 United fans had done at the final whistle, celebrating a victory few thought was likely - even if Liverpool went into the game off the back of three successive defeats. The Portuguese had regained his composure by the time he spoke to the wider media a short time afterwards, when he was reminded of his comments in the only comparable moment of euphoria during his tenure - a 4-0 win against Everton on 1 December which extended his unbeaten start to three games and declared a "storm was coming".

Has the storm passed now, Amorim was asked at Anfield? "I have no idea," came the considered reply. "If we show the spirit we did today, in training and in games, we will win so many games. But for that we need to take action. It has been a good day. Now we must focus on Brighton. We will see after Brighton."

Amorim is right to be cautious - and United fan Frank Ilett would probably be wise not to get his hopes up that the haircut he promised himself - when the team win five games in a row - might only be three weeks away. As highlighted by BBC Sport in the build-up to the Liverpool encounter, United have not managed a single point in two seasons from their corresponding next three fixtures; Brighton at home, Nottingham Forest away and Tottenham away. Players past and present alike realise there have been too many promises of false dawns that have disappeared almost immediately to take anything for granted.

"The players will go back into the training ground in a better place, but they have to use this as a springboard to make sure they kick on," said former United skipper Roy Keane. "We have not given the fans enough days like that," was Maguire's view of his first win at Anfield as a United player. "Football is about creating special memories and today we all go home happy - but we are not in a position to get carried away."

Maguire epitomised the spirit Amorim praised beyond anything else. Had he given up when Ten Hag decided he could do without his captain in 2023, the centre-back would no longer be a United player. Instead, the 32-year-old turned down the opportunity to join West Ham. Even after he lost the captaincy to Fernandes, Maguire refused to give in. At the start of this season, when Matthijs de Ligt was selected for the central position in Amorim's three-man defence, he met the challenge to reclaim a starting spot head on. With his contract deep into its final year, Maguire is wedded to United strongly enough to be willing to take a pay cut to extend his time at Old Trafford.

"This is a club with a lot of pressure," added Amorim. "It is not easy to play here and Harry is really important for us. When you consider everything he has gone through, he is a great example for every kid."

Amorim knows he needs a much bigger body of work for anyone to realistically believe he will remain at United for the three years Ratcliffe spoke of recently. Another home defeat by Brighton - it would be their fourth in a row at Old Trafford next weekend - would see the vultures circling again. He knows many of those who report and speak about the club have, in public or private, expressed a view Amorim will lose his job sooner rather than later. It is typical he should welcome such talk and use it as motivation, while also taking solace from the knowledge he has given the supporters who have paid so much to see so little in recent times - including embarrassment at League Two Grimsby in the EFL Cup in August - yet still sing in his honour, a day to remember.

"It is not normal to find something like this. So many bad moments, and to have the fans always supporting the manager when every one of you is saying 'until Christmas', he's gone. I want you guys (media) to continue with the narrative you are. Don't change that. That is best for me. I don't have many wins in Manchester. Our fans struggled against Grimsby, they struggled against Brentford. Today they saw a different team. This win is for them."