November 22 – Manchester United begin what they hope will be a new era to restore past glories when new head coach Ruben Amorim takes charge for the first time away at Ipswich Town on Sunday.
As the Premier League returns after the international break, the rest of United’s season offers an intriguing storyline that has gripped fans hoping for success after years of decline.
Amorim, whose Sporting Lisbon side demolished Manchester City in the Champions League in what was his final home game in charge, will need to hit the ground running.
United are languishing in 13th place with only four wins from their first 11 games, although in a tightly-packed table they are only four points off the top four.
Amorim is the sixth full-time occupant of the Old Trafford hot seat since Alex Ferguson left 11 years ago and he knows the scrutiny will be far more intense than anything he has experienced so far in his coaching career.
“You feel the history and I’m really proud to be Manchester United’s coach,” Amorim told MUTV. “I think I am where I’m supposed to be. That’s the feeling.”
Amorim, the most coveted coach in Europe, has plenty of problems to solve as he replaces Erik Ten Hag but United midfielder Bruno Fernandes is confident his Portuguese compatriot will quickly make a positive connection with his new players.
“Obviously for me, what stands out is the connection he has with the (Sporting) players,” Fernandes said. “You see the way they say goodbye to him, the way they feel, they make him feel part of the team and how they treat him. So it shows that this is a great character and he’s someone that gives his all to the players.”
Across town meanwhile, Manchester City could be boosted by the return of Kevin De Bruyne for the visit of Tottenham as they attempt to snap an unprecedented four-game losing streak in all competitions under Pep Guardiola
Guardiola has just signed a new two-year contract extension which will run until 2027, having joined in 2016 and won 18 trophies.
His contract had been due to expire at the end of the current season. “I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why,” Guardiola told the club’s website. “I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation.”
“This is my ninth season here. We have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. Hopefully now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
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