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Guardiola takes swipe at Man Utd after Amorim turns over Man City in Champions League

    guardiola-takes-swipe-at-man-utd-after-amorim-turns-over-man-city-in-champions-league

    Man City boss Pep Guardiola has aimed a swipe at Man Utd after being on the receiving end of a humbling defeat by incoming Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim.

    The Citizens took an early lead against Sporting Lisbon at the Estadio Jose Alvalade through Phil Foden before missing a host of other chances early on.

    However, the game turned on its head when Viktor Gyokeres scored his first half of the match just before half-time to see the sides went in level at the interval.

    Sporting scored two quick goals at the start of the second half through Maxi Araujo and a Gyokeres penalty to take control of the match.

    Erling Haaland had a chance to get Man City back in the match but he hit the crossbar with his penalty before Gyokeres converted his second spot-kick of the evening to secure three Champions League group stage points for Sporting in a 4-1 win.

    Amorim led Sporting to victory in one of his last matches before he leaves to manage Man Utd after he was confirmed as Erik ten Hag’s successor last week.

    When asked before the match if it would be the start of an ‘epic battle’ between him and Amorim, Guardiola replied: “I don’t think so. From the outside, I don’t know him.

    “But from the outside, he looks like a lovely guy. When I see him in the dugout, he behaves much, much better than me.

    “Honestly, I am really pleased that he is coming to England to play [with] United. I think both clubs have a lot of respect in the hierarchy.”

    His tone was slightly different after the match in Lisbon, reminding Man Utd fans that they will not face each other in Europe.

    Guardiola told reporters: “We will face them two times in the Premier League and maybe the FA Cup. In the Champions League it is not possible.

    “Then we will see. I learn from all managers I face. Ruben I think as well. But my concern is on getting us back to our best which we will try to do.”

    MORE MAN CITY COVERAGE ON F365…
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    👉 Man City FFP: PL rivals to demand £100m+ ‘compensation’ with guilty verdict amid ‘lawyer advice’
    👉 Man City ready to sell £100m star to ‘sign big name’ after Roy Keane warning

    It is the first time Man City have lost three consecutive matches in all competitions since April 2018 and Guardiola is keen to bounce back.

    Guardiola added: “It is a tough challenge, but I am here. It will be a tough season – we knew that from the start. But this is what it is. I like it, I love it, I want to face it and lift my players and try it.

    “Life is like this. Maybe in the past six Premier Leagues in seven years and four in a row is an exception. Sometimes you lose.

    “Today we were really good – Bournemouth, no, they deserve it. We played really bad against Bournemouth and played really good today.

    “I know how we behave today, how good we were, and how a young central defender [Jahmai Simpson-Pusey], what an exceptional game he played.

    “When you lose 4-1 what can I say? My team I like it, we were close to making it 0-3.

    “The stadium was calm but in one action we lose simple things with quality players and things that normally don’t happen. When you are so close to going 0-2 and then 1-3, it’s difficult for the players, I understand it.

    “I have to try and find an explanation. Sometimes it is just football. We have to accept it. Life is that, sport is that. Everyone has to be better and better and better and we will find it

    “We are alive in all competitions, and we will continue. We are coming back to Manchester to prepare the game against Brighton. I am not giving up. Maybe people are waiting but I am not giving up.”

    4-2-3-1: Van Nistelrooy will unleash breathtaking young forward in aggressive line-up vs PAOK

      4-2-3-1:-van-nistelrooy-will-unleash-breathtaking-young-forward-in-aggressive-line-up-vs-paok

      Manchester United entertain Greek side PAOK tomorrow night in Ruud van Nistelrooy’s penultimate game in charge of the side.

      United are yet to register a victory in the competition and desperately need to avoid this banana skin and start to climb the table.

      With a Premier League home match against Leicester City to follow just three days later, Van Nistelrooy might want to rest some legs.

      But with few senior players available, a defence that desperately needs to gel better and given the urgency of the situation, it seems more likely he will field what he believes is a very strong team, hoping to put the game to bed quickly and make early subs.

      One change we do think he’ll make is to give Altay Bayindir another run out in goal. He had no hesitation over picking him for the Carabao Cup match against Leicester last week and another home game against a team lying in 30th place in the Europa League table should be the ideal chance to give Andre Onana another night off.

      The defence should stay the same, with Diogo Dalot at right back, Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez the centre backs and Noussair Mazraoui at left back. Other options are Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans and there have been rumours young Harry Amass might be blooded at left back, but this would be a gamble.

      Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia remain unavailable.

      In midfield, it’s unclear yet whether Christian Eriksen is fit enough to return. If he is, he will probably start, but we have assumed he is not and stuck with Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte. The pair were superb against Leicester last week but poor against Chelsea. There are few other options, with Kobbie Mainoo, Toby Collyer and Dan Gore all injured.

      Mason Mount has returned to training but is unlikely to be risked from the start.

      Bruno Fernandes is therefore almost certain to start in the number 10 position.

      On the wings, the gifted Ivorian Amad could be given a start with either Marcus Rashford or Alejandro Garnacho rested. The fact that Rashford was substituted early against the Blues could mean he will be fresher, meaning it could be the Argentinian who is rested today.

      Antony is still injured.

      Up front, Rasmus Hojlund will probably begin the game with Josh Zirkzee struggling to find his feet. However, there is an ongoing question mark over Hojlund’s fitness so it would not be a huge surprise if Van Nistelrooy plays him and pushes Fernandes up alongside him in the 4-4-2 he employed to great effect a week ago.

      With all that in mind, here is our predicted XI for tomorrow’s 8pm kick off:

      Feature image Glyn Kirk via Getty Images

      Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.

      “He wants to stay, he wants a new deal”: United expect to finalise fresh contract for electric forward in January – report

        “he-wants-to-stay,-he-wants-a-new-deal”:-united-expect-to-finalise-fresh-contract-for-electric-forward-in-january-–-report

        Manchester United are reportedly eager to finalise a new contract for Amad Diallo by January.

        Amad is currently in the final year of his terms at Old Trafford, although the club retains an option to extend his stay by an additional 12 months.

        After several loan spells and a 2023/24 season that was disrupted by injuries, Amad finally seemed to have got his big break towards the latter stages of that campaign.

        He scored the extra-time winner in a dramatic 4-3 FA Cup win over Liverpool en route to winning the competition while scoring one and setting up the other in a 3-2 Premier League triumph over Newcastle.

        He picked up where he left off when the 2024/25 term started, with Erik ten Hag regularly starting him on the right side of his attack.

        However, after a while, the now-sacked Ten Hag seemed to have a change of heart, demonstrating a clear preference for other attacking options. This saw Amad relegated to the bench once again.

        With Ten Hag now gone and Ruben Amorim set to officially take over in the next few days, there is renewed hope that Amad can finally nail down a consistent run of games in the side and show what he is truly capable of.

        According to journalist Graeme Bailey, United want to keep Amad and the Ivorian wants to stay despite his extremely limited playing time.

        Bailey said [as quoted by FootballTransfers], “Obviously they’ve been talking since the summer and hope to get it done by January. I think there’s a real confidence he will sign, the club rate him very highly.”

        “They may take up the option just to get him through until the summer, but they will not be taking the option against Diallo’s wishes.”

        “He wants to stay, he wants a new deal and when you have everybody pulling in the same direction, it does lean towards him signing a new deal.”

        “Ideally it would have been done by now, but I don’t think it’ll be a major issue.”

        Amad recently sent a message to United over his reduced minutes, reminding the club of his usefulness and what he brings to the table.

        Hopefully, the 22-year-old gets a start on Thursday when United host PAOK in the Europa League.

        Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!

        Amorim’s transfer plans at risk as two clubs “approach” 17-yo talent who has impressed United – report

          amorim’s-transfer-plans-at-risk-as-two-clubs-“approach”-17-yo-talent-who-has-impressed-united-–-report

          Ruben Amorim might face an early transfer blow at Manchester United, as two Bundesliga clubs are reportedly stepping up their efforts to sign Sporting Lisbon sensation Geovany Quenda.

          Apart from Viktor Gyökeres, Quenda has emerged as one of the most talked about talents in Lisbon, having established himself as a key part of Amorim’s squad after making his first-team debut in August.

          On Tuesday, the Sporting boss started the winger as the right wing-back against Manchester City. While Amorim made headlines with his tactics, the 17-year-old earned plaudits for his scintillating display against the Premier League side. Quenda registered an assist in his side’s 4-1 win over City.

          The Sporting talent is considered one of the best prospects in Portugal and has sparked the interest of top clubs across Europe.

          According to the Manchester Evening News, United are also in the queue, as they have been following his progress since the start of the season.

          So far the incoming United manager has played down the suggestions of raiding his soon-to-be former club to strengthen his project at United.

          Still, a player like Quenda has the potential to be a perfect signing for him, owing to his skill sets as well as the Red Devils’ worrying options on the right flank. Further, since United have been already tracking the Sporting star, a concrete move can’t be ruled out from Amorim in the near future.

          A report from TEAMtalk underlines that Quenda is a “concrete target” for United. However, there is a twist.

          It is claimed that “in the last few days, Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig have made ‘concrete approaches’ to Quenda’s entourage.”

          Leverkusen and Leipzig intend to monitor the versatile forward closely over the next few weeks “ahead of a potential move.”

          Sporting are likely to keep hold of their prized asset during the upcoming winter transfer window. However, next summer could prove to be interesting if they receive a massive bid for him.

          Quenda is under contract at Sporting until 2027 and his deal reportedly includes a €100m release clause. If United are indeed interested in the player, they need to accelerate their transfer plans before it is too late.

          Featured image Diogo Cardoso via Getty Images

          Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

          Man Utd star ‘decides’ to ‘refuse’ transfer amid stance on Amorim despite INEOS having ‘no interest’

            man-utd-star-‘decides’-to-‘refuse’-transfer-amid-stance-on-amorim-despite-ineos-having-‘no-interest’

            According to reports, Manchester United star Harry Maguire has already ‘decided’ to ‘refuse’ the prospect of leaving the Premier League giants in January.

            The 31-year-old joined Man Utd during the 2019 summer transfer for around £80m from Premier League rivals Leicester City.

            Maguire has amassed over 200 appearances across all competitions for Man Utd in a rollercoaster spell at Old Trafford.

            The England international was one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s favourites, but the appointment of Erik ten Hag was expected to lead to his exit as the Dutchman initially preferred Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

            Maguire’s form declined at the end of Solskjaer’s reign. However, he stuck around at Old Trafford under Ten Hag and was one of Man Utd’s better players during the 2023/24 campaign after he turned down a move to Premier League rivals West Ham.

            Despite this, his future remains in doubt as his contract expires in 2025 and it remains to be seen whether he will pen an extension.

            READ: Ruben Amorim Judgement Day upstaged by Man City being utter toss

            A new report from The Boot Room claims Maguire has already ‘decided’ to ‘refuse to consider leaving Man Utd’ in January or ‘signing a pre-contract a pre-contract elsewhere in the near future’.

            Man Utd are said to have ‘no interest in keeping Maguire beyond his contract’, but the report explains why the centre-back feels he could win over new head coach Ruben Amorim.

            ‘The England international is currently focused on staying at United and Maguire believes that he can win an extension to his deal in the coming months.

            ‘Maguire is hoping to prove himself to Amorim once he arrives, and will be buoyed by the prospect of the Portuguese manager introducing a three centre-back system.’

            MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
            👉 Ferdinand claims Amorim ‘will scare’ Guardiola as he’ll ‘bring’ four ‘elements’ Man Utd are ‘lacking’
            👉 Owen names Man Utd star who won’t play under Amorim as he predicts starting XI
            👉 Wright claims summer signing ‘won’t make it’ at Man Utd as Amorim responds to Gyokeres link

            ‘Maguire’s best performances in recent years have arguably come for England whilst playing in a three, a formation that lends to his ball-carrying ability.

            ‘As of now, United have shown no desire to keep Maguire beyond the expiry of his contract next summer.

            ‘The England defender’s deal does include a one-year option which United could activate, and the 31-year-old believes that is a possibility.

            ‘Maguire, who lost the captaincy under Erik ten Hag, has refused to leave Old Trafford in the last two transfer windows as he still believes he has something to offer at United.’

            Maguire’s Man Utd teammate – Manuel Ugarte – previously worked with Amorim and he’s revealed one thing that “surprised” players when learning about the 39-year-old.

            Ugarte said: “My teammates have asked a lot about him. What surprised them was his age. He’s also very hungry to win and that’s very important. I can tell he’ll enjoy it.”

            Amorim’s transfer plans at risk as two clubs “approach” 17-yo talent who has impressed United – report

              amorim’s-transfer-plans-at-risk-as-two-clubs-“approach”-17-yo-talent-who-has-impressed-united-–-report

              Ruben Amorim might face an early transfer blow at Manchester United, as two Bundesliga clubs are reportedly stepping up their efforts to sign Sporting Lisbon sensation Geovany Quenda.

              Apart from Viktor Gyökeres, Quenda has emerged as one of the most talked about talents in Lisbon, having established himself as a key part of Amorim’s squad after making his first-team debut in August.

              On Tuesday, the Sporting boss started the winger as the right wing-back against Manchester City. While Amorim made headlines with his tactics, the 17-year-old earned plaudits for his scintillating display against the Premier League side. Quenda registered an assist in his side’s 4-1 win over City.

              The Sporting talent is considered one of the best prospects in Portugal and has sparked the interest of top clubs across Europe.

              According to the Manchester Evening News, United are also in the queue, as they have been following his progress since the start of the season.

              So far the incoming United manager has played down the suggestions of raiding his soon-to-be former club to strengthen his project at United.

              Still, a player like Quenda has the potential to be a perfect signing for him, owing to his skill sets as well as the Red Devils’ worrying options on the right flank. Further, since United have been already tracking the Sporting star, a concrete move can’t be ruled out from Amorim in the near future.

              A report from TEAMtalk underlines that Quenda is a “concrete target” for United. However, there is a twist.

              It is claimed that “in the last few days, Bundesliga giants Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig have made ‘concrete approaches’ to Quenda’s entourage.”

              Leverkusen and Leipzig intend to monitor the versatile forward closely over the next few weeks “ahead of a potential move.”

              Sporting are likely to keep hold of their prized asset during the upcoming winter transfer window. However, next summer could prove to be interesting if they receive a massive bid for him.

              Quenda is under contract at Sporting until 2027 and his deal reportedly includes a €100m release clause. If United are indeed interested in the player, they need to accelerate their transfer plans before it is too late.

              Featured image Diogo Cardoso via Getty Images

              Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

              Amorim excited to work with United star who didn’t feature in PL under Ten Hag: Fabrizio Romano

                amorim-excited-to-work-with-united-star-who-didn’t-feature-in-pl-under-ten-hag:-fabrizio-romano

                Incoming Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is “looking forward” to working with Leny Yoro.

                On Tuesday, Amorim led Sporting CP against Manchester City in the Champions League amid huge media attention, having already been announced as the new manager of City’s neighbours.

                The Portuguese tactician managed to raise plenty of eyebrows, as he outsmarted Pep Guardiola to secure a 4-1 win for his soon to be former side.

                It is not far-fetched to assume Sporting’s exciting performance would have only raised excitement at Carrington surrounding Amorim’s arrival.

                Interestingly, a report from Fabrizio Romano suggests the 39-year-old is also excited to manage United, having set his sights on one particular star, Yoro.

                On Wednesday, the French defender returned to first-team training at United for the first time since he picked up an injury in pre-season.

                While giving an update on the player’s fitness ahead of United’s Europa League clash against PAOK, Romano posted: “Rúben Amorim, looking forward to working with Yoro.”

                🚨🔴 Good news for Man United as Leny Yoro is training with the squad for the first time since his fractured metatarsal in the summer.

                Rúben Amorim, looking forward to working with Yoro. pic.twitter.com/QEpH8WfhFG

                — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 6, 2024

                The much-hyped signing from Lille is yet to make his competitive debut, and fans might have to wait until after November’s international break to see the talented centre-back in action.

                Interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy shed light on his return to training, stating: “It’s a big moment for him, that first time he’s back in team training. Obviously, we’re gonna get him back partially over the coming weeks and look to get him on board as soon as possible.”

                Erik ten Hag didn’t get to use his signing, but Yoro’s availability could prove to be a huge boost for Amorim, who deploys a back-three system.

                The 18-year-old is most likely to be deployed on the right side of the back three, as he excels in defending wide areas.

                Further, he is comfortable with the ball at his feet, making him an ideal option for Amorim’s setup, which relies heavily on defenders during build-up. 

                Vishal has covered football for over five years. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person. Big fan of ball-playing center-backs!

                “They will step up”: Ten Hag signing confident that big-name United stars can adapt to Amorim’s style

                  “they-will-step-up”:-ten-hag-signing-confident-that-big-name-united-stars-can-adapt-to-amorim’s-style

                  Manchester United’s poor start to the season eventually led to Erik ten Hag’s sacking with Ruud van Nistelrooy taking over on an interim basis.

                  The former Ajax coach’s reign was characterised by a lack of a clear style of play while his selection calls grew more and more ludicrous as time went on.

                  His talent identification was also deemed not good enough for the club with plenty of his signings set to be moved on once new manager Ruben Amorim joins the fray.

                  But one signing who has come good is Andre Onana with Ten Hag’s huge call to axe David de Gea and bring in the Cameroonian bearing fruit in the end.

                  Onana on EtH

                  Ten Hag wanted a goalkeeper who was comfortable with the ball and could calmly play out from the back and Onana has certainly brought that quality to the club.

                  It was a rough few months initially for the former Inter Milan man but he eventually coped with the added pressure and this season, he has been one of the rare shining lights in what has been a disappointing campaign thus far.

                  Having been brought to the club by Ten Hag, Onana was obviously grateful to his former boss but felt the results necessitated a change in the dugout.

                  “When I heard he was leaving I felt bad, it’s not always easy for players to understand when a manager is leaving. But at the end of the day, the club have to make a decision and we have to follow,” he said on the eve of United’s Europa League game against PAOK.

                  “I worked with him, he’s a good manager, I’ve got a very good relationship with him. Why things didn’t work here? We didn’t win enough games, it’s simple.

                  “At high level it’s not easy and sometimes you have to pay the price. Unfortunately it was him. The players gave everything, we worked hard, tried our best but it just didn’t work.”

                  While quite a few players will be playing for their United careers once Amorim arrives, Onana is expected to thrive as the Portuguese also prefers a ball-playing goalkeeper, someone who can radiate calmness under pressure.

                  Onana on Amorim

                  And as per the Cameroon international, plenty of United stars have the quality to adapt to Amorim’s demands, including a change is tactics from a back four to a back three.

                  In fact, the United No 1 watched Sporting Lisbon’s magnificent come-from-behind win against Manchester City and congratulated the incoming manager for the fine victory.

                  “I did watch it. Great victory for them, by the way. Different system, but my teammates are all pragmatic, everyone here is capable of playing in each system, I don’t think it will be an issue for us. We have big players. They will step up.”

                  For now, United must focus on getting their Europa League campaign back on track after three disappointing draws in the previous games.

                  Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

                  Ferdinand, Shearer and Richards all agree on first Man Utd transfer under Ruben Amorim

                    ferdinand,-shearer-and-richards-all-agree-on-first-man-utd-transfer-under-ruben-amorim

                    Rio Ferdinand, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards have all agreed that Man Utd need to make a new striker a priority under Ruben Amorim.

                    The Red Devils have made a terrible start to the new season with Man Utd currently 13th in the Premier League table after winning just three of their first ten matches.

                    Erik ten Hag was sacked last week and replaced by Sporting Lisbon boss Amorim, who will join Man Utd on November 11 after his duties at the Portuguese club end.

                    Only Crystal Palace and newly-promoted Southampton have scored fewer goals than Man Utd in the Premier League this term with summer signing Joshua Zirkzee struggling to make an impact.

                    Their other main striker, Rasmus Hojlund, has only scored two goals in ten matches in all competitions this season and both Shearer and Richards reckons a new centre-forward has to be their priority.

                    Gary Lineker asked the pair on the Rest is Football podcast: “New manager, even if he’s really good, as you said, they’ve got a lot to do haven’t they? Have they got the talent in there, even if they’re kind of, say, properly coached, if they’ve got a plan?

                    “It’s hard to see, really, isn’t it? How many of those players would be part of a team that is challenging?”

                    Shearer responded by claiming Man Utd need a centre-forward “massively” and Richards agreed with his fellow pundits take.

                    MORE MAN UTD COVERAGE ON F365…
                    👉 Ferdinand claims Amorim ‘will scare’ Guardiola as he’ll ‘bring’ four ‘elements’ Man Utd are ‘lacking’
                    👉 Owen names Man Utd star who won’t play under Amorim as he predicts starting XI
                    👉 Wright claims summer signing ‘won’t make it’ at Man Utd as Amorim responds to Gyokeres link

                    And, on a separate show, Red Devils legend Ferdinand agreed and reckons Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres is the obvious choice to bring in.

                    Ferdinand said on TNT Sports: “Managers when they leave clubs, there’s always one of two players, you know, I’ve got to take that.

                    “Who is that guy going to be, if he’s going to take someone from Sporting Lisbon? After the way [Gyokeres] was playing in the last few weeks, 11 [goals] in five games, is he going to be the number one target for the new manager of Man United?”

                    Gyokeres scored a hat-trick on Tuesday night as Sporting beat Man City 4-1 in the Champions League ahead of Amorim’s departure to Man Utd next week.

                    Giving his thoughts on Amorim, Gyokeres told reporters: “We will miss him a lot, of course.

                    “We achieved a lot together and we will miss him and the other members of the staff, but they are leaving and we have to move on and face the next challenge we have.”

                    Speaking generally about their performance against Premier League champions Man City, Amorim added: “It’s always nice to score and even better to score a hat-trick. Most important was to win the game so it was a brilliant night for us.

                    “We knew it was going to be tough and we didn’t start off well. We knew they would give us space and we could have scored more than four to be fair. They could have scored more as well. You need to raise your level when you play better opponents. I tried to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

                    “They will step up”: Ten Hag signing confident that big-name United stars can adapt to Amorim’s style

                      “they-will-step-up”:-ten-hag-signing-confident-that-big-name-united-stars-can-adapt-to-amorim’s-style

                      Manchester United’s poor start to the season eventually led to Erik ten Hag’s sacking with Ruud van Nistelrooy taking over on an interim basis.

                      The former Ajax coach’s reign was characterised by a lack of a clear style of play while his selection calls grew more and more ludicrous as time went on.

                      His talent identification was also deemed not good enough for the club with plenty of his signings set to be moved on once new manager Ruben Amorim joins the fray.

                      But one signing who has come good is Andre Onana with Ten Hag’s huge call to axe David de Gea and bring in the Cameroonian bearing fruit in the end.

                      Onana on EtH

                      Ten Hag wanted a goalkeeper who was comfortable with the ball and could calmly play out from the back and Onana has certainly brought that quality to the club.

                      It was a rough few months initially for the former Inter Milan man but he eventually coped with the added pressure and this season, he has been one of the rare shining lights in what has been a disappointing campaign thus far.

                      Having been brought to the club by Ten Hag, Onana was obviously grateful to his former boss but felt the results necessitated a change in the dugout.

                      “When I heard he was leaving I felt bad, it’s not always easy for players to understand when a manager is leaving. But at the end of the day, the club have to make a decision and we have to follow,” he said on the eve of United’s Europa League game against PAOK.

                      “I worked with him, he’s a good manager, I’ve got a very good relationship with him. Why things didn’t work here? We didn’t win enough games, it’s simple.

                      “At high level it’s not easy and sometimes you have to pay the price. Unfortunately it was him. The players gave everything, we worked hard, tried our best but it just didn’t work.”

                      While quite a few players will be playing for their United careers once Amorim arrives, Onana is expected to thrive as the Portuguese also prefers a ball-playing goalkeeper, someone who can radiate calmness under pressure.

                      Onana on Amorim

                      And as per the Cameroon international, plenty of United stars have the quality to adapt to Amorim’s demands, including a change is tactics from a back four to a back three.

                      In fact, the United No 1 watched Sporting Lisbon’s magnificent come-from-behind win against Manchester City and congratulated the incoming manager for the fine victory.

                      “I did watch it. Great victory for them, by the way. Different system, but my teammates are all pragmatic, everyone here is capable of playing in each system, I don’t think it will be an issue for us. We have big players. They will step up.”

                      For now, United must focus on getting their Europa League campaign back on track after three disappointing draws in the previous games.

                      Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25

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