Amorim’s Arrival Ignites Optimism at Manchester United Following Unbeaten Run

Manchester United has maintained an unbeaten streak of three matches since Ruben Amorim took over as manager. On Sunday, following the final whistle at Old Trafford, the stadium resonated with chants of “Ruben Amorim’s red and white army,” marking a shift from previous discontent to widespread celebration. The Portuguese coach received applause from fans in the Stretford End, having guided his Manchester United team to a decisive 4-0 victory over Everton, a team currently struggling in the league. This positive atmosphere at the stadium contrasted sharply with earlier instances this season when the team faced boos from supporters, especially following 3-0 defeats at home against Liverpool and Tottenham. A loss to West Ham on 27 October marked Erik ten Hag’s last match as manager; he was dismissed the following day, at which point the team was positioned 14th in the league, trailing the top four by seven points. However, since the Dutch manager’s departure, there has been a notable improvement in both performance and outcomes, with interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy and subsequently Amorim guiding the team through a sequence of seven undefeated matches. Consequently, after several previous periods of unfulfilled optimism, the question arises whether a sense of well-being is genuinely re-establishing itself at Old Trafford. Manager Amorim stated to BBC Match of the Day, “It helps to have a new face, it always helps.” He added, “We have to be very clear to our fans and this will always help.” Amorim further commented on the team’s progress: “Rather than trying to convince the fans about this performance, we have a lot to do – it will take time. Sometimes we are not playing well but we defended together.” He concluded, “Our fans just ask for hard work and then in time they will ask for better football.” Despite having secured both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, the Red Devils appeared to lack a clear playing identity under Ten Hag’s inconsistent approach, concluding last season in eighth place, which marked their lowest Premier League standing. However, Amorim’s 3-5-2 tactical setup, a formation that yielded significant success during his tenure at Sporting, is now beginning to materialize at United, incorporating a disciplined counter-pressing strategy. Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee each netted two goals, capitalizing on individual errors made by Everton, while Amad Diallo consistently troubled the opposing team. United has advanced to ninth place in the league standings and is now targeting a return to the Champions League for the upcoming season, currently trailing Brighton in fourth position by only four points. Amorim’s initial match resulted in a draw against Ipswich, followed by a victory over Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday, and then another win in this latest fixture. Nevertheless, Marcus Rashford cautioned against excessive optimism. Rashford commented to BBC Match of the Day, stating, “The energy and the atmosphere speaks for itself.” He continued, “It is down to the players to create this in the stadium but the fans today… that is what we want to hear: Nothing but positivity and pushing the fans forward.” Regarding Amorim, Rashford added, “He [Ruben Amorim] is definitely demanding but there’s encouragement to bring your strengths into the game. That is when you get a really good team performance.” He concluded with a note of caution: “Hopefully we can build on this and keep pushing. It’s nothing to get overly excited by. We have to keep pushing every day to meet his demands.” This match marked the beginning of a challenging nine-game schedule for Amorim and United in December. With restricted training ground availability during this month, Amorim’s managerial abilities will be put to the test by upcoming away fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Tottenham. Prior to Sunday’s match, United supporters demonstrated their dissatisfaction by protesting outside the stadium concerning an increase in ticket prices for members. A banner displayed the message “Stop Exploiting Loyalty” following the club’s decision to eliminate concessions, which raised ticket prices to £66, up from the previous rates of £40 for adults and £25 for children. However, the increased cost might be justified, as spectators inside the stadium saw United score four goals in a league match, an occurrence not witnessed since April. Rashford’s goal, scored just 20 seconds into the second half, effectively concluded the competitive aspect of the match, enabling the home players and their fans to savor the rest of the game. United maintained complete control, prompting shouts of “oles” from enthusiastic supporters, who also chanted Amorim’s name to the melody of “Give It Up” by KC and The Sunshine Band. Amorim shared with BBC Radio 5 Live, “Of course I am managing expectations but these moments will live with me for life.” He elaborated on his experience: “We start the game with the songs and I already know some of the phrases to these and that moment I really live it, I enjoy that moment.” He concluded, “But when the game is there, I want to help my players, I want to win games and to have more years and more games of hearing that song.”