Ruben Amorim has said he won’t get the same time to rebuild Manchester United as Mikel Arteta has enjoyed at Arsenal as the two managers prepare to meet at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Arsenal finished eighth and fifth in Arteta’s first two full seasons in charge at the Emirates after arriving at the club in December 2019.
Despite coming close to winning the title in 2023 and 2024, he’s approaching five years without a trophy, with the club having not won silverware since the FA Cup in 2020.
Amorim has been tasked with a similar rebuilding job at United, but he’s not expecting his bosses to show the same patience.
“I will not have the time Arteta had,” Amorim said.
“I feel that. It’s a different club, I think it’s a different club. I think in that aspect the way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody but I will not have the time like Arteta had.”
United and Arsenal are separated by 21 points in the table ahead of Sunday’s meeting. Arteta handed Amorim his first Premier League defeat in December when Arsenal beat United 2-0 at the Emirates.
United have a crucial Europa League second leg against Real Sociedad to come next Thursday after drawing 1-1 at the Anoeta, and Amorim has admitted he’s concerned about how his injury-ravaged squad will cope against Arsenal this weekend.
“We need to survive on Sunday,” he said.
“The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes [of the first leg against Real Sociedad]. We have to prepare for Sunday and think about this important game for our season on Thursday.
“We are trying to see all the players who are fresh and who are not in danger of getting an injury. Even with that we have to risk a little bit but we have to be competitive on Sunday.”
Amorim said he “doesn’t know” whether Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte will be fit to face Arsenal after both missed the first leg against Real Sociedad.
Youngster Chido Obi — who spent much of his youth career with the north London club before joining United — will be back in the squad after being ineligible for the trip to Spain, while Amorim has also raised the prospect that Amad Diallo could return from injury before the end of the campaign.
The game against Arsenal will also see United fans stage a protest against the club’s ownership ahead of kick-off as anger continues to grow about perceived financial mismanagement.
“For everybody in our club it’s a really tough moment,” Amorim said.
“It’s everything at the same time. The only thing I can do is and our players can do is perform well and win. People have the right to protest.
“I think it’s a good thing to do that. It’s part of our club. Everybody has a voice. But our job and my job is just to improve the team and give them something in this moment because they deserve it and they are amazing.”
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