MANCHESTER, England — Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expressed his appreciation for the support from Sir Jim Ratcliffe but acknowledged that it won’t matter if he is unable to improve the team’s performance.
During the international break, Ratcliffe mentioned that he is willing to give the Portuguese coach “three years” despite a challenging beginning to his tenure at Old Trafford.
Amorim stated that receiving backing from the club’s co-owner is “good” news.
However, ahead of a challenging encounter against Liverpool on Sunday, he hinted that he may not have much time to improve results if United’s performance does not show signs of progress.
“He [Ratcliffe] always communicates with me, sometimes sending me messages after matches,” Amorim said.
“But we all know – including Jim – that football is unpredictable. The main focus is on the next game; even with the support of owners, you can’t predict what will happen in football from one day to the next.”
“It’s reassuring to hear that support, especially amid all the noise, and Omar [Berrada] and Jason [Wilcox] also remind me of it frequently. While I understand it will take time, I prefer not to dwell on that. It’s beneficial for our fans to acknowledge that developing leadership will require patience. At the same time, I don’t want that perception to create a complacent atmosphere here at our club.”
“It’s great to feel the support, but we must prove ourselves on the pitch.”
United travels to Anfield seeking consecutive Premier League victories for the first time under Amorim, having secured a 2-0 win over Sunderland before the international break.
Liverpool has lost only one of their last 14 league matches against United, who have not won at Anfield since 2016.
United’s performance against top teams has been respectable, including a commendable 2-2 draw at Anfield last season.
This track record has led Amorim to suggest that his players tend to perform better in matches where they are not deemed the favorites.
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“Perhaps it’s due to expectations,” Amorim reflected.
“When victory is necessary, it makes it much harder to perform. That’s the nature of playing for a big club – you must win every match, especially when there are high expectations to do so. Sometimes we struggle to manage that pressure.”
“When people expect Manchester United to win, it may actually be easier for our players to perform, and we need to shift that mindset.”