Ruben Amorim takes over as Erik ten Hag’s replacement at Old Trafford on Monday and will bid farewell to the Estadio Jose Alvalade when his Sporting CP team take on Manchester City in the Champions League tonight.
Manchester United supporters will get their first look at their new manager against Pep Guardiola, the mastermind behind the success of their local rivals.
City won’t be distracted by the United sideshow and Amorim has moved to manage the expectations of his new employers.
New Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim will test himself against his new rival
“If the result is very negative, expectations will drop and I don’t think that’s a bad starting point, when you begin at Manchester United,” he said.
“If we win they’ll think the new Alex Ferguson has arrived, which is very difficult to maintain.”
City’s visit to Lisbon is one of the week’s most evenly matched Champions League fixtures. Guardiola’s team have lost only once in the Premier League this season, while Sporting have won ten out of ten in the Primeira Liga.
Both teams start the day in the top eight of the Champions League table and neither has yet been beaten in European football. The English champions beat Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Prague after drawing with Inter Milan. Sporting claimed wins over Lille and Sturm Graz either side of a draw at PSV Eindhoven.
The top eight teams after eight matches will progress directly to the last 16 in the new Champions League format. The next 16 will enter a play-off round to join them, while the bottom 12 are eliminated.
Amorim drops to the Europa League regardless but will lock horns with Guardiola again in the Premier League, where his first Manchester derby is right around the corner. United host City on Sunday December 15.
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United fans watching their new boss in action tonight will be looking out for Amorim’s back three and the attacking impetus provided by his wing-backs.
With their own team struggling for goals – United average less than a goal per game in the Premier League – they’ll also be eager to observe Amorim’s use of Viktor Gyokeres, who’s likely to become a transfer target for his outgoing manager’s new club.
Manchester City meet Sporting in Champions League action this evening.
