Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim says only results on the pitch can answer his critics as he faces mounting pressure ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Sunderland — a match that could determine his future at Old Trafford.
Since taking charge last November, Amorim has collected just 34 points from 33 league matches. After finishing 15th last season — United’s lowest position since their 1974 relegation — he was backed with over £200 million in the transfer market. But six games into the new campaign, the Red Devils sit 14th, showing little sign of progress.
“You cannot run away from the results, and then you have the baggage from last season,” Amorim said at his pre-match press conference. “It’s not time to say, it’s time to show. My job is to prepare the team and focus on the next game.”
The Portuguese coach’s insistence on sticking to his 3-4-3 system has been heavily criticised by pundits, including former United captain Gary Neville and club legend Wayne Rooney. However, Amorim stressed that he will not be distracted by outside noise and must prove himself through performances.
United will also pay tribute on Saturday by wearing black armbands and observing a minute’s silence after two people were killed in an attack on a Manchester synagogue. “Our sympathy is for the victims,” Amorim said. “We will pay tribute tomorrow, but it’s a crazy world at this moment.”
