Rúben Amorim insists he won’t be given the same time as Mikel Arteta to rebuild Manchester United, as the club faces another season of crisis and uncertainty.
Rúben Amorim has admitted he does not expect to be afforded the patience that Mikel Arteta has enjoyed at Arsenal as he attempts to rescue a sinking Manchester United.
The Portuguese coach, who replaced Erik ten Hag in November, has inherited a squad that sits 14th in the Premier League table, staring at the possibility of missing out on European football altogether.
As he prepares to face Arsenal at Old Trafford this weekend, Amorim has pointed to Arteta’s tenure as proof of what backing a manager can achieve but suggested he will not be given similar time to overhaul the club.
“I will not have the time Arteta had. I feel that. It’s a different club,” said Amorim. “The way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody, but I will not have time like he had.”
Arteta took over at Arsenal in December 2019, inherited a disjointed squad, and was given full backing to oversee an extensive rebuild. He got rid of high-profile underperformers and gradually reshaped the team into title contenders.
Arsenal finished eighth and fifth in his second and third seasons, yet the club stuck by him, a decision that is now paying dividends with consecutive title challenges and Champions League runs.
Amorim, however, believes the same patience will not be granted by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whose partial takeover has ushered in immediate expectations of change. While Arsenal are second in the league and preparing for a Champions League quarter-final, United’s only remaining hope of salvaging the season is through the Europa League.
The Portuguese coach has not hidden his doubts about his long-term prospects at Old Trafford. “We just need to survive with the players on Sunday,” he said, underlining the immediate challenges he faces.
With United preparing for their last-16 second-leg tie against Real Sociedad, Amorim is already dealing with the weight of expectation. “We have to recover and be smart against Arsenal. We have to check the players, they have to sleep. It’s an important moment in our season.”