- Ruben Amorim finally confirmed as new Man Utd manager
- However, Portuguese coach won't take charge until after November international break
- Amorim will face Ipswich Town in first outing
Manchester United will soon have a new manager in their dugout when Ruben Amorim arrives from Sporting CP.
After making the decision to sack former boss Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils moved swiftly to identify the former Portugal international as their ideal candidate and, after some tough negotiations, it has now been confirmed Amorim will lead United having signed a contract until 2027 with the option of an extra year.
However, there is still a little bit of waiting for INEOS and fans to do as Amorim sees out his last matches at his current club before taking on the mammoth task that awaits him at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim's first six games at Man Utd
There's plenty of fascination from United supporters regarding how United could line up under their new manager. However, while United have a Premier League clash against Chelsea this Sunday, Amorim won't be in the Old Trafford dugout.
The former Benfica midfielder is taking charge of three more matches with Sporting before the November international break rolls around. The current Primeira Liga champions will say goodbye to their manager in clashes with Estrala, Manchester City and Braga.
His absence means it will be interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy who oversees imminent United games against Chelsea, PAOK and Leicester City.
Fixture | Competition | Date - KO time (GMT) |
|---|---|---|
Ipswich Town vs Man Utd | Premier League | 24/11/24 - 16:30 |
Man Utd vs Bodo/Glimt | Europa League | 28/11/24 - 20:00 |
Man Utd vs Everton | Premier League | 01/12/24 - 13:30 |
Arsenal vs Man Utd | Premier League | 04/12/24 - 20:15 |
Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest | Premier League | 07/12/24 - 17:30 |
Viktoria Plzen vs Man Utd | Europa League | 12/12/24 - 17:45 |
Once national team fixtures are concluded later this month, Amorim will step into his new role, starting with an away trip to Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys have made life difficult for a number of opponents upon their return to the Premier League but are yet to record a win, sitting in 18th.
Amorim's Old Trafford bow will follow shortly after when Norwegian outfit Bodo/Glimt visit in the Europa League. Superlaget embarrassed Jose Mourinho's Roma a few years ago and will be keen to crash the party while United search for a first win in Europe.
More home comforts arrive the following weekend when December is ushered in. Everton may well end up being a bottom-half team once again this term but Amorim will get his first taste of the difficult managerial encounters England offers when he duels Sean Dyche on the touchline.
The cold winter winds will have been firmly embraced by the time the 39-year-old takes on one of the nation's toughest teams in Arsenal. The fixture has a storied history but Amorim will hope to have made plenty of early progress before his new team travels to the Emirates Stadium, where the Gunners have been so tough to beat in recent years.
Things won't get much easier when Nottingham Forest visit Manchester. Nuno Espirito Santo is working his magic at the City Ground and Chris Wood may well still be banging in the goals when this festive fixture rolls around.
Viktoria Plzen will be Amorim's sixth opponents as United manager. He has taken charge of Champions League fixtures already this season but this will be his second Europa League match as Red Devils boss. Strangely enough, Plzen are the only team to have matched United's record of three draws so far, with both sides scoring and conceding five goals apiece.
