Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada has come out swinging in defence of manager Ruben Amorim after rumours of his potential sacking swirled across the media.
Despite having gotten off to a difficult start at Old Trafford earlier this season, Amorim seems to be growing into his role, building a team that appears increasingly comfortable under his wing.
During the 1-1 draw with Arsenal last weekend, Man United appeared solid at the back and creative in the midfield, showing a level of ingenuity that had not been seen for quite some time.
Sadly, the team’s constantly improving performances on the pitch have not silenced rumours about Amorim’s potential exit, with names such as Xavi and Unai Emery being mentioned as potential replacements.
Fortunately, for Amorim, his progress has not gone unnoticed, with Berrada swiftly coming to his defence against a backdrop of mounting rumours.
“I’m an optimist by nature and, as hard as the current situation is on the pitch, I do think that in Ruben and in [technical director] Jason [Wilcox], we have the right people to lead the men’s side, in terms of our football planning for the next years,” Berrada stated as per TEAMtalk.
“Ruben has a very clear identity of how he wants to see the team playing. He’s working extremely hard with the coaching staff and the wider staff around Carrington to get us to a position where the team can perform better.”
“But we have seen progress over the last few weeks,” Berrada acknowledged. “Perhaps it hasn’t translated into wins, which is what we all want to see, but we do have the confidence that we have the right people in place and that we’re going on a journey that’s going to take us back to the top.”
Since arriving at Old Trafford in November, Amorim has racked up a mixed bag of results. In 26 matches in all competitions, Amorim’s team has won 11 matches, lost 10, and drawn five.
Given this turbulent record, tonight’s match could not be more crucial for Amorim.
With United no longer in the FA Cup or Carabao Cup and the team sitting in 14th place in the Premier League, the Europa League is Amorim’s last opportunity to clinch silverware this season.
What’s more, a win would help to justify Berrada’s backing of Amorim while helping to win the supporters’ trust.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
