Rúben Amorim has cautioned Manchester United fans to brace for a challenging period as he begins his tenure as head coach.
Following a 1-1 draw against Ipswich at Portman Road, Amorim was clear that there would be no quick fixes to the issues that plagued Erik ten Hag’s reign and left the team languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
As United supporters sang Amorim’s name at the final whistle, the Portuguese coach acknowledged their backing but stressed the need for patience. Speaking to the media post-match, Amorim admitted that his process of transformation would require time and resilience.
“I know it is frustrating for the fans, but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games,” said Amorim. “We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games, but this will take time. We have to risk it a little bit [now] and in the next year we will be better [otherwise] next year at the same stage we will be here with the same problems.”
Despite a promising start, with Marcus Rashford scoring just 81 seconds into the match, United’s performance reverted to familiar patterns. The team struggled to dominate, missed key chances, and appeared vulnerable to Ipswich’s counter-attacks.
Omari Hutchinson equalised for Ipswich, his effort deflecting off Noussair Mazraoui’s head and looping over Andre Onana. The goalkeeper, however, was instrumental in preventing defeat, making two exceptional saves to deny Liam Delap either side of the equaliser.
“We could lose if it was not for Onana,” Amorim conceded. “He saved us two times at least.”
Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp offered his take on Amorim’s debut. Speaking to Sky Sports, he noted, “It is what I expected; he doesn’t have a magic wand. The players who have let you down over the last year aren’t suddenly going to be different because Amorim has walked in.
There are going to be a lot of changes in the next six months.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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