"If you win here, it will be different from any other club in England" - Ruben Amorim on 'the weight of history' at Manchester United
Ruben Amorim has emphasized the magnitude of being successful with Manchester United amid the start of a new era at Old Trafford. The Portuguese coach will take charge of the Red Devils for the first time this Sunday (November 24).
United traveled to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town, and Amorim spoke ahead of that game. He explained why winning with the 13-time Premier League champions is different (via UtdPlug):
"It's Manchester United, you feel the weight of history despite the last few years and you want to be part of it. If you win here, it will be Different from any other club in England."
Amorim arrived at Manchester United with a glowing reputation from his time in charge of Sporting CP. He led the Portuguese giants to two Liga Portugal titles and was unbeaten before agreeing to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have yet to win the Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Ten Hag ended a six-year trophy drought, but poor performances led to the Dutchman's sacking.
Amorim is tasked with revitalizing a United side floundering mid-table. They sit 13th in the league, with four wins and as many defeats in 11 games, making it their worst-ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Ruben Amorim responded to criticism over Manchester United duo's trip to USA during the international break
Amorim oversaw his first training session at Carrington this week as Manchester United's head coach. Marcus Rashford and Casemiro participated, and given their poor past year, they are two stars who need to bounce back under the Portuguese tactician.
The Red Devils pair made headlines this week when they visited the United States during the international break. Rashford missed out on a place in England's squad for UEFA Nations League action, and Casemiro wasn't selected for Brazil's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
There was outrage over the duo taking a short vacation while the club sat mid-table. Gary Neville was one of those furious with their decisions.
Yet, Amorim was quick to cool the growing backlash by giving United's stance. He said in his pre-match press conference (via centredevils):
"They [Manchester United] told them they have five days off, so they can fly anywhere because nobody in the club says you cannot fly!"
Rashford, 27, cut a frustrated figure by the end of Ten Hag's reign at Old Trafford. He'd hit a career season-best under the Dutchman in the 2022-23 campaign, but his form has nosedived since then.
Casemiro, 32, was impressive in his debut season at United but has come off the boil. He has shown slight improvement this term but could face a fight for his place under Amorim with Manuel Ugarte impressing.