Amorim reveals team news for Saturday

Head coach Ruben Amorim has provided an update from the Manchester United camp, on the eve of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Sunderland.

The 15:00 BST kick-off at Old Trafford is our last fixture before the latest international break and a chance to pick up a third successive home victory, on the back of the wins over Burnley and Chelsea.

Casemiro is back after the Brazil international served his one-game ban, for the red card against Chelsea, during the defeat at Brentford.

Amad missed the trip south last weekend, following a family bereavement, but is available again after training at Carrington this week.

“They are really important,” Amorim told MUTV’s Mark Sullivan in his exclusive pre-match interview, when asked about the pair.

“Casemiro gives us a lot of experience. That is good.

“Amad, we missed Amad in the last game. When we want to push some opponents, he is one extra guy where he is very good in one against one. So we are really happy to have him.”

Lisandro Martinez remains out, while Noussair Mazraoui is not expected to return until after the upcoming international break, with a trip to Liverpool next on the agenda.

Tyrell Malacia, who has not featured for the Reds since the Europa League win at FCSB last January, trained with the first-team group this week.

Part one: Press conference v Sunderland Video

PRESS CONFERENCE | Ruben analyses Sunderland’s positive start and reflects on comments about United’s system…

SUNDERLAND’S TEAM NEWS

Head coach Regis Le Bris dismissed reports Nordi Mukiele is a doubt for the game, while Luke O’Nien is available again after recovering from a shoulder injury suffered in last season’s play-off final to make the bench in the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest last time out.

Romaine Mundle will remain absent for the next week six weeks or so, due to a hamstring issue, and is on the sidelines, along with Dennis Cirkin, Leo Hjelde and Aji Alese.

However, the Black Cats’ raft of new signings have really hit the ground running, although one of them, Mozambique full-back Reinildo, is suspended.

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Ruben Amorim says it is time for his Manchester United side to show our true colours in Saturday’s Premier League clash with Sunderland.

During his press conference at Carrington to preview the 15:00 BST kick-off at Old Trafford, the boss was asked what he would tell supporters to retain the belief that things will turn around.

“It’s not time to say,” he insisted. “It’s time to show. Again, I can look at the games this year and, for me, they are completely different.

“There are some things that are the same and that is nothing about the position on the pitch, the way we put the ball, it’s other things that we cannot change.

Part one: Press conference v Sunderland Video

PRESS CONFERENCE | Ruben analyses Sunderland’s positive start and reflects on comments about United’s system…

“We show that thing in certain games,” he added.

“In the other games, we are not the same team in some details. I have nothing to say in this moment. My job is to prepare the team and let’s go for the next game.”

The Reds go into the fixture, our last before the international break, on the back of a setback at Brentford last weekend, when we slipped to a 3-1 defeat in south-west London.

Sunderland have started the season well, sitting fifth and racking up 11 points, with their most recent outing a splendid 1-0 away win at Nottingham Forest.

“We had some moments, if you see during these six games, during this season, we are not always the same team in the small things,” explained Amorim.

“More in the way we play, all the effort that we put [in], the maximum effort that we put in every single thing, is not the same in different matches. We have to find that balance, it will change everything for us.”

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Every word: Ruben’s pre-Sunderland press conference

Ruben Amorim addressed journalists at Carrington on Friday, discussing Manchester United’s upcoming home Premier League fixture against Sunderland, as well as his latest thoughts on the team’s system.

United go into our seventh league game of the new campaign sitting 14th in the Premier League table, with two wins so far, both recorded at home – against Burnley and Chelsea – which should provide confidence going into this one.

However, Sunderland arrive with huge belief of their own, having earned 11 points already so far since their return to the top flight, a tally which has them sitting fifth.

Speaking to the press, United head coach Amorim considered the quality the Black Cats will offer, the job done there by manager Regis Le Bris, and the latest opinions about his own formation.

Read every word from the boss below.

Part one: Press conference v Sunderland Video

PRESS CONFERENCE | Ruben analyses Sunderland’s positive start and reflects on comments about United’s system…

First of all, your thoughts on the terror attack at a synagogue in Manchester yesterday…

“A crazy world, we are living in at the moment, a lot of these things are happening. Of course, our sympathy for the victims and we will pay tribute tomorrow, but it is a crazy world in this moment.”

Hi Ruben, the next challenge is Sunderland, give us your thoughts on what that challenge will be tomorrow?

“It’s going to be a really tough match, they are doing really well. And then, when you see the games, they draw with one less player in the final [moments] of the game, they draw, [get] one point, and then they win in the final play against Brentford, [to get] another three points. I think the details are changing the table a lot, so we need to pay attention to that. It’s a team that plays really well, it’s a clear 4-3-3 system with a lot of rotations in the side of the pitch. They are confident and they know that we are going to be under pressure and we need to be able to play with that and we are prepared for a tough, tough match.”

And just a comment on the job that Regis Le Bris has done and the start they’ve made under him…

“It’s not just the table and all the results, that’s what matters most in the end, but it’s the way they play, a clear identity. A very good manager and a very good team.”

Ruben, what are you seeing and feeling at the training ground that makes you think the team can start performing on a more consistent level?

“We already talked about that. We had some moments, if you see during these six games, during this season, we are not always the same team in the small things. More in the way we play, all the effort that we put [in], the maximum effort that we put in every single thing, is not the same in different matches. We have to find that balance, it will change everything for us.”

Some former players have been quite heavy in their criticism this week: Wayne Rooney saying ‘this is not Manchester United, the culture’s not right’ and Gary Neville criticising the system. Can that be quite hard to listen to?

“It’s normal. You cannot run away from the results. And then you have the baggage from last season, but last season, for me, doesn’t matter. In relation to this season, we already spoke about that. We’ve had six games this season and we lost three, and then we have to look to the games that we lost, if you lost against Arsenal because of the system? It’s your job to make the opinion. When you look at the game against City, was the first thing you think, when the game starts, the system? I think you don’t think about the system in that moment. And Brentford? I don’t look at the way we concede goals, the way we create chances. There is nothing to do with the system. That is my opinion. And I’m not saying that this team would play better in a different system or not, that is not my point. My point is that if I look at the games that we didn’t win, the most important thing when I watch the game is not that we lost the game because of the system. That is my opinion. Then people have different opinions and that is okay.”

Ruben, you spoke last season so much about the fans backing you. This season, that has gone now, they stayed with you and believed you when you said things will be better this season. What do you say to the fans to give them the belief that it will be better?

“It’s not time to say. It’s time to show. Again, I can look at the games this year and, for me, they are completely different. There are some things that are the same and that is nothing about the position on the pitch, the way we put the ball [in], it’s other things that we cannot change. We show that thing in certain games. In the other games, we are not the same team in some details. I have nothing to say in this moment. My job is to prepare the team and let’s go for the next game.”

Five glorious goals v Sunderland Video

Beckham, Cantona, Mkhitaryan, van Nistelrooy and Vidic all scored great goals v Sunderland – see how we ranked them…

I know we’ve asked you this a few times before. Do the players understand what you’re asking them because it did look as though last Saturday was very disjointed?

“It was. It was. It was. But again, you cannot say one thing that doesn’t work when it works on one weekend, and on the other weekend it doesn’t. When one thing doesn’t work, it doesn’t work every day. But when one thing works one day, and then another day doesn’t work, the other day works really well again, it’s something about the way we do the same thing. So we need to do the same thing in the same way every day and we are not doing that. That is my opinion. Some of you guys have a different opinion and that is okay.”

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Monthly award-winners announced

Bruno Fernandes has been named Manchester United’s Player of the Month for September, while Benjamin Sesko has scooped the award for best goal.

The Reds only had three fixtures in this period and the skipper produced the standout performance, a Man of the Match display in the 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

Not only did he score the opening goal, his 100th since joining the club from Sporting, but his all-action contribution rightfully gained plenty of plaudits.

The other matches were the away defeats to Manchester City and Brentford, and Bruno will be out to put the disappointment of having his penalty saved by the Bees’ Caoimhin Kelleher last weekend behind him, when October’s schedule begins with Sunderland’s visit to Old Trafford.

The fans showed their continued support for our no.8, as he came out on top of our poll, ahead of fellow nominees Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu and Sesko.

Fernandes logged 37 per cent of the vote, narrowly depriving Dorgu of his first Player of the Month trophy by only two per cent. Sesko was in third spot, after his maiden nomination, on 28%.

Bruno succeeds Bryan Mbeumo, who won the award for August.

Sesko, however, did take the honours when it came to our Goal of the Month accolade.

The Slovenia international got off the mark for the Reds with his maiden strike, in the defeat at Brentford. Smashing home at the third attempt, past Kelleher, it gave Ruben Amorim’s side hope in the first half by reducing the arrears, only for the Bees to seal the three points in stoppage time to make it 3-1.

The effort at the Gtech Community Stadium (39%), squeezed ahead of Fernandes’s Chelsea goal (38%), with Casemiro’s header against Enzo Maresca’s Blues back in third place (23%).

September’s top strike Video

See our Goal of the Month winner, netted by Benjamin Sesko…

Congratulations to Bruno and Benjamin, and thanks to everybody who voted, as we hope for a better overall period this month, starting with the game against the Black Cats on Saturday at 15:00 BST.

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