Mikel Arteta admits he has been impressed with Ruben Amorim’s performance at Manchester United so far, despite the former Sporting CP boss losing six of his first 12 games in charge.
Amorim was appointed as United’s first head coach in November, replacing Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman failed to continue winning the FA Cup final last season against neighborhood rivals Manchester City.
Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders Liverpool was proof that Amorim may be passing on his ideas to United’s players, but their performance levels varied widely amid a flurry of poor decisions and individual errors.
As regards Arsenalthey haven’t been at their best for a while – injuries to key personnel affecting Arteta’s charges – and they head into a successful FA Cup third-round tie with United just finished Defeated Newcastle United 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-final of the Carabao Cup.
But it was Amorim’s start at Old Trafford that soon saw Arteta pressed in his latest press conference, with the Spaniard opting for politeness in his response.
“When you look at the big teams in particular and the results he achieved and how they behaved, very impressive,” Arteta said of his Portuguese counterpart. “I know him well. I followed him a lot when he was in Portugal and there is a big reason why he is where he is at the moment. He totally deserves to be there.”
Explaining the difficulties of taking over a new club in the middle of the season, Arteta continued: “Every manager has a reason when he is appointed. The reasons can be different. Sometimes it is just to improve the football team, to get better performance from individual players, and sometimes it is to transform the football club. It is a completely different dimension of work.
“If I have to relate to mine, it was more geared towards that than the previous one I mentioned.”
Arteta, who got one on Amorim in December when he Arsenal beat United 2-0 andin the Premier League, then he would talk about the need for home fans to stand behind his players, especially as United there will be a contingent of 8,000 troops traveling to north London.
“Yes, we have to be louder, certainly more on the front foot than them,” remarked Arteta. “This is a special opportunity to create that atmosphere, a beautiful football atmosphere, let’s make it ours.”
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