Pressing Issues

• A look into key matches and moments that will define Amorim’s first 100 days as Manchester United manager.
• What Amorim needs to do to be considered a success.

“I feel very relaxed” were the words of Ruben Amorim during his first interview as Manchester United manager. Since his announcement as manager elect to his first visit to Carrington on Monday, fans’ anticipation for what is in store has only grown.

100 days as manager will take Amorim to mid-February. Between now and then he will face myriad challenges: a potential banana-skin visit to Ipswich next week, away fixtures to Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool, and will likely face pressure to make moves in the January transfer window.

Manchester United’s youngest manager since 1969 will come under significant scrutiny regarding how he deals with each of these challenges – and while he will be given patience, time and trust from pundits and fans, tangible progress is required if the Reds are still to make something of this season.

The First Game

Amorim couldn’t really have asked for a nicer opening fixture on paper – a visit 17th place Ipswich Town is a fantastic opportunity for his tenure to start on the right track.

Yet Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna will likely be licking his lips at the prospect of a Sunday afternoon upset. With many United players currently away on international duty, most of Ipswich’s first team will be well rested and well prepared for the next Premier League game.

Add the fact that Ipswich will be riding high on the back of their dismantling of Tottenham, and the prospect of visiting a team with only one league win could be considered to have more risk than reward.

One thing is almost certain: Amorim will not start in the same manner as Erik Ten Hag – who lost 4-0 to Brighton in his first competitive match in charge.

Given Ipswich’s poor defensive record and the fact that only Southampton (7), Crystal Palace (9) and Everton (10) have scored less than United (12), there is a lot to be said that this game is a perfect opportunity for United’s attacking players to showcase their talent in front of their new boss.

Win, and narrative will circulate that Amorim really could be ‘the one’ for Manchester United. Anything but, and any doubts over that idea could quickly become exacerbated.

Tricky Away Trips

League visits to last season’s top two this side of Christmas, followed by trips to Anfield and the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in the new year will be a good measure of Amorim’s progress over the course of his first 100 days.

The first big test will be on the 4th of December, when Arsenal will host the Reds. Yet, Amorim will be confident of taking something from the Emirates, given Arsenal’s recent drop in performances at both ends of the pitch. A result here would be a massive bonus for the club, and no doubt exemplify the 39-year-old’s ability to compete with the best in the Premier League.

Shortly afterwards, a Manchester derby will become the focal point for fans and players. Having lost both Premier League fixtures against Manchester City last year, and not winning at the Eithad since 2021, fans would likely be completely won over by Amorim if he was to give Reds local bragging rights. Having already proven his possession of Pep Guardiola’s phone number in Sporting’s 4-1 rout of Manchester City in the Champions League, there will certainly be tension on the touchline, and a potentially enthralling contest between Manchester’s biggest clubs.

Four days later, United will face Tottenham away in the Carabao Cup Quarter Final, something which Amorim will either consider an opportunity for some silverware, or as a secondary priority. Ange Postecoglou’s regime has come under scrutiny in the last few weeks – and his past track record of wining competitions in his second season at a club could be under threat from United here. It can be expected that this will be a fascinating game to watch.

Anfield is the first destination for Amorim in the new year in what will likely be a very tricky test. You have to go back to January 2016 to find the last time the Red Devils won there, and having suffered 5-0 and 7-0 thumpings against Liverpool in recent years, any conversation that United are in with a chance in this game should bear this in mind. In addition to this, Arne Slot has continuously proven his tactical nous against top sides this season, and it feels unlikely Amorim will be able to out-think or outplay the Dutchman’s side.

Day 96 for Amorim will see his men face Tottenham again – this time in the Premier League. At this point, he will have had the chance to at least somewhat impress his style into his team, and had the opportunity for some January transfer window action. A strong performance here would instill confidence in his players and in fans as they push on into the last 3 months of the season.

Do The ‘Big Games’ Actually Matter?

Despite the inevitability that fixtures against the ‘big six’ are discussed until everyone’s blue in the face (I’ve just written 6 paragraphs on them months before they even take place), it is arguably not these games that dictate whether or not Amorim’s first 100 days are a ‘success’, It is more United’s ability to beat teams that they should be beating which will answer this question.

Of the games they’d traditionally expect to win, games against Bournemouth, Wolves and Fulham stand out as potentially tricky matches which will require a confident and convincing performance to get a result.

What would success be?

Success in football is highly subjective. It varies from club to club, and then within that club it varies from player to player, from fan to fan. So to make a sweeping statement defining what Amorim’s first 100 days needs to look like for success is completely futile.

There are a few things that are necessities off the pitch: maintaining fan engagement and support, promoting a positive culture within the club, and potentially making acquisitions in January to mitigate any potential problems.

On the pitch, football’s highly unpredictable nature means that mandating a set number of points for him to reach, or a certain number of wins is pointless. He does need to develop a clear style of play and demonstrate that it can work. Positive football, even if it doesn’t reap reward just yet, will be brilliantly received at Old Trafford.

He is aware that everyone at the club is “hungry for success” – but his calm, measured nature should bring a balanced perspective to everything at the club, which has the potential to set Manchester United on the path back to where they want to be. If he can demonstrate this during his first 100 days, he can be considered a success.