🔗 Share this article

Ruben Amorim's spell at the Red Devils has been labeled a significant disappointment. Looking at the numbers, his results is notable for all the wrong factors. During the contemporary football age, no boss at the club has achieved fewer points per game, nor achieved a league finish as poor as 15th in the table. Delving further back, you have to go back to the manager Frank O'Farrell in 1972 to find a Red Devils' gaffer who lost a greater proportion of matches. Furthermore, he infamously secured a place in the team's history by enduring a final loss to Spurs, namely Ange Postecoglou's iteration of Tottenham.

The game, though, is seldom that simple. Regardless of the negative press of his tactical approach, the Portuguese manager leaves behind a club in a much stronger condition than that which he took over. Earlier this season, following a win against Brighton, Welbeck relayed that teammates were praising United as the best side they had played against in some time. Their football in a breathtaking high-scoring tie with Bournemouth was equally promising and thrilling.

While it is difficult to contest the dismissal—especially given it was allegedly sparked by his remarks regarding bosses with poorer track records—Amorim's downfall was in the end hindered by awful fortune. If injuries to crucial stars not happened at the same time as the unavailability of other important members, he could remain in the position—possibly even.

Fletcher Takes the Reins

Therefore, Darren Fletcher steps into a relatively stable situation. Star players like Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Mainoo are back to fitness, while Diallo and Mbeumo will soon return from the African tournament. Simply careful management of this talented roster should be sufficient to ensure a top-five finish and, with it, continental football for next season—in all likelihood in the coveted Champions League.

The Clarets' Daunting Challenge

The home side, but, will not make things easy. Despite boasting only a dozen points and having lost three of their last five matches, their performances have at times been more impressive than the outcomes suggest. Manager Parker will surely have his team fired up to get after opponents who are expected to start an lineup that has lacked cohesion, set up in a system they have not used for over a year.

Kick-off: 20:15 GMT.