Ruben Amorim's tenure at Manchester United is considered by many to have been a significant letdown. By any measure, his performance is notable for all the wrong reasons. In the Premier League era, not a single Man Utd boss has managed a worse points return, nor managed a standing as poor as 15th in the table. Delving further back, you have to return to Frank O'Farrell in 1972 to find a Red Devils' gaffer who was defeated in a higher percentage of fixtures. Furthermore, he notoriously carved a niche in club lore by experiencing a final loss to Tottenham, namely Postecoglou's side of the North London club.
The game, though, is seldom so straightforward. In spite of the negative press of his favored system, Amorim leaves behind a club in a much stronger position than that which he inherited. Earlier this season, following a win against Brighton & Hove Albion, Danny Welbeck shared that teammates were praising their opponents as the most impressive opposition they had encountered in a while. Their football in a exhilarating 4-4 draw with Bournemouth was both encouraging and exciting.
Even though it is difficult to argue against the decision to sack him—particularly given it was said to be caused by his remarks regarding superiors with even worse records—Amorim's demise was ultimately hampered by terrible luck. Had injuries to crucial personnel not coincided with the unavailability of other pivotal figures, he could remain in the job—perhaps thriving.
Consequently, the interim boss Fletcher steps into a relatively positive scenario. Important players like Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo are back to fitness, while Amad Diallo and Mbeumo will in the near future be back from the African tournament. Just careful management of this talented squad should be sufficient to ensure a top-five finish and, with it, continental football for the following term—most likely in the elite UEFA Champions League.
Vincent Kompany's team, but, will not make things easy. Despite boasting only 12 points and suffering defeats in 3 of their most recent five games, their performances have at times been more impressive than the scorelines indicate. Boss Scott Parker will undoubtedly have his side fired up to attack opponents who are expected to start an XI that has never played together, arranged in a setup they have not used for more than a year.
Match begins: 20:15 GMT.
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