Ruben Amorim has earned a reputation for many talents during a relatively short coaching career. Tactician, motivator and even poet, if you listen to Cristiano Ronaldo.
As Manchester United’s new head coach braced himself for his fourth game in charge, he added a new string to his bow. Meteorologist. ‘The storm will come,’ forecast Amorim rather ominously, and perhaps he had Wednesday night’s trip to Arsenal in mind when he said it.
The 39-year-old knows he cannot get away with it all the time as he makes running repairs to this United team in mid-season, sometimes plugging round holes with square pegs. ‘We will be found out in some games,’ he warned.
Few teams are as unforgiving as Arsenal at the moment. Mikel Arteta’s side have scored 13 goals in their last three games, including five before half-time at West Ham last weekend and, worryingly for Amorim, five more away to the formidable Sporting Lisbon side he left behind last month to take the United job.
Sporting were on a run of 17 wins and a draw in 18 games since losing the Portuguese Super Cup to Porto in August. They had not been beaten in normal time, and yet there were Arsenal sweeping into a 3-0 first-half lead in a 5-1 Champions League rout at the Jose Alvalade Stadium last week. Does that emphasise the task awaiting United at the Emirates on Wednesday night?
‘I already knew it,’ replied Amorim with a smile. ‘I think he (Arteta) has done an amazing job. Sometimes coaches are just judged on titles, but what he has been doing in Arsenal is amazing. It transformed the team.
Ruben Amorim has warned his Man United players that a ‘storm will come’
United have made a positive start under Amorim but have their first major test on Wednesday
United are set to face an Arsenal side that has scored 13 goals in their last three matches
‘He bought some youngsters that now are the big talents in this country. I hope to have the same mindset that he had in the difficult moments because I followed the Premier League for a long time. It’s a very good characteristic in Mikel.’
Amorim can at least draw some comfort from having beaten Arteta at the Emirates last year, even though it needed a penalty shootout to settle a Europa League last-16 tie following a 3-3 draw on aggregate.
But on Wednesday night he will not have the comfort blanket of selecting a team he built and trusts, having admitted to anxiety at United because he simply doesn’t know what will happen from one minute to the next.
He also fears that Arteta’s team are even better now; less predictable too with Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber as full backs and Martin Odegaard roaming free.
The Arsenal captain was an extra-time substitute when Amorim won at the Emirates, but Odegaard’s return from a 12-match absence due to an ankle injury has given the Gunners an extra dimension in recent weeks.
‘Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different. They are more fluid,’ added Amorim. ‘For example, when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand the structure better. Now it’s more fluid with Calafiori and Timber on different sides; one coming inside, the other going outside. Also, Odegaard changed the team, and you can feel it during the season. Every game is different and you already know that you are going to face a very good team.’
Stopping Odegaard from pulling the strings will be key for United if they are to get anything from the game, but one player Amorim didn’t mention was Bukayo Saka. The England winger terrorised Sporting’s back three down the right last week, helped by the fact that Maximiliano Araujo pushed too high and left Goncalo Inacio isolated.
Amorim will need his left wing back, likely to be Diogo Dalot, to provide more protection for his back three against Saka on Wednesday night, and particularly whoever replaces the suspended Lisandro Martinez on the left side.
Harry Maguire is fit again and likely to start, while Leny Yoro has travelled with the squad. Jonny Evans has missed the last two games.
There was frustration as it was confirmed on Tuesday that Luke Shaw had suffered another injury setback after a comeback lasting just three substitute appearances. Shaw wrote on social media that he was ‘devastated’.
Amorim’s assistant Carlos Fernandes (left) will try to ensure United keep Arsenal at bay from set-pieces
The in-form Amad Diallo could also be a major asset for United at the Emirates
Riccardo Calafiori has been troubled by pacy wingers, and Diallo will fancy his chances against the Italian
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United won’t need warning about the threat posed by Arsenal’s set-piece specialists, but it will be interesting to see how Amorim’s assistant Carlos Fernandes tries to combat it having replaced Andreas Georgson as United’s set-piece coach. Expect Matthijs de Ligt to keep a close eye on Gabriel.
With Kobbie Mainoo also suspended after just one game back from injury, Amorim must weigh up his midfield options but Manuel Ugarte — sent off for Sporting at the Emirates last year — is likely to be given the job of marking Odegaard.
While United’s priority on Wednesday evening will be keeping Arsenal quiet, one area where they could expose the Gunners is at left back. Calafiori can be uncomfortable against quick wingers who like to cut inside, which Amad Diallo could exploit. The little Ivorian has prospered more than any other United player under Amorim, and is likely to start at right wing back again.
‘You try to choose players that you can put in that position and the technical characteristics are perfect for him,’ said Amorim. ‘Because of his left foot. If you are right-footed, sometimes you don’t have the space to come inside.
‘In that position, you need to have a good physicality. Good physicality is not the size, but he can run. And that is a key point in that position. He has good control and he seems faster with the ball than without the ball. He can play in different systems. In the future, we will play in the different system maybe, so it’s that kind of player that we will need in the team.’
Hardly surprising then that United have been working on a new contract for Diallo. Unless the club offer him a new deal or trigger the extension in his current one, he will be a free agent in the summer and can talk to foreign clubs from next month.
‘I think he wants to stay and we want him to stay, so that is clear and we will find a solution,’ said Amorim.
For now, United’s new head coach is focused on navigating the toughest challenge yet in what has been a steep learning curve for him and his players.
So, has the size of the job exceeded his expectations?
Amorim will bid to outfox Mikel Arteta to maintain his unbeaten start to life at Old Trafford
‘A little bit,’ Amorim admitted, ‘because you don’t know how life is in this kind of club. So it’s always a surprise. I can manage that, but you have to do so much more than coach the team.
‘You have to manage the time in a different way. You have less time to prepare the games, not just because you are playing after two days, but also because you have a lot to do. I can say I was a little bit surprised.
‘We are improving slowly, but we don’t have training. So I’m very pleased with all the work and the effort that the players are doing in this moment.
‘It is what it is and we will try to win, and we go with confidence to win — but we know that we need to play very well to win the next match.’
