MANCHESTER UNITED managerial target Ruben Amorim already has experience of getting the better of some of the Premier League’s top managers.
The Sporting Lisbon boss appears to be in pole position to replace Erik ten Hag in the Old Trafford hot-seat, after the Dutchman was sacked on Monday.
Amorim may have never managed in the Premier League, but his tactics have already come up trumps against some of the division’s best managers.
Most notably, his Sporting side saw off Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the Europa League last 16 in 2023.
Sporting knocked the Gunners out of Europe with some intelligent tactics that pushed Arteta’s side to the limit and ultimately knocked them out on penalties.
Amorim’s side managed a draw in both fixtures, a 2-2 game at home and a 1-1 effort at the Emirates.
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And although they didn’t win in regulation time, it was Amorim’s tactics that impressed the most.
Sporting played with a back three when in possession to throw numbers forward and allow Marcus Edwards time to shine.
Before dropping into a back five when the Gunners attacked, stunting the efforts of Arsenal’s forward line by keeping their shape and stepping up towards the half-way line.
And there was a familiar face pulling the strings and orchestrating the rotations in the middle of the park for Sporting in the second leg too – Man Utd’s summer arrival Manuel Ugarte.
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Ugarte, alongside Pedro Goncalves, continuously rotated in and out of position to drag Arsenal’s players out of place and create pockets to play into.
However, Ugarte was sent off for two yellow card offences later in the game.
But it’s not just Arteta that Amorim has experience against with the 39-year-old taking on a number of other Premier League bosses.
The gaffer found himself facing Oliver Glasner’s Eintracht Frankfurt side in the Champions League back in 2022 – winning one game 3-0 and losing the other 2-1.
Glasner is now the Crystal Palace manager.
While Amorim’s tactics against Pep Guardiola have also had mixed returns, earning a 0-0 draw with Man City in the Champions League round of 16 and also losing 5-0 in the other leg.
Perhaps the most concerning thing about Amorim’s record against Premier League managers is his efforts when he took on Erik ten Hag.
Going head to head with Ten Hag’s Ajax side in 2021 saw Amorim’s Sporting concede NINE GOALS in two games.
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The Portuguese side lost 5-1 and 4-2 to Ajax, against a team that featured now-Man Utd stars such as Antony, Lisandro Martinez and Noussair Mazraoui.
Amorim has also faced Tottenham during his time as Sporting manager, winning 2-0 and drawing 1-1 to a Spurs side managed by Antonio Conte.
Amorim record vs Premier League managers
Here’s a look at Amorim’s record against Premier League managers and clubs…
MIKEL ARTETA – ARSENAL
- Sporting 2-2 Arsenal
- Arsenal 1-1 Sporting (4-6 penalties)
ERIK TEN HAG – AJAX
- Sporting 1-5 Ajax
- Ajax 4-2 Sporting
OLIVER GLASNER – EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
- E. Frankfurt 0-3 Sporting
- Sporting 1-2 E. Frankfurt
PEP GUARDIOLA – MAN CITY
- Sporting 0-5 Man City
- Man City 0-0 Sporting
TOTTENHAM (managed by Antonio Conte)
- Sporting 2-0 Tottenham
- Tottenham 1-1 Sporting
‘I was expecting this’ – What Ruben Amorim said about Man Utd job links
RUBEN AMORIM has responded to being linked with a move to Manchester United.
The Sporting Lisbon coach, 39, is reportedly closing in on a deal worth £8million to become Erik ten Hag’s successor.
Just hours after Ten Hag’s dismissed on Monday morning, it emerged Man Utd chiefs were in talks with Amorim as they zero in on the Sporting boss.
But the ex-Braga coach remained tight-lipped on negotiations when quizzed by the media.
He said: “I was already expecting this question [about Man Utd].
“Obviously I’m not going to talk about the future, because otherwise I’ll always have to comment.
“I’m very proud to be Sporting coach, that’s all.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
