Pressure on Amorim to deliver

Manager says Man U 'will be a better team'

- 

After their worst season in 51 years last term, the only way is up for Manchester United. Complete with a new £200 million strike force, manager Ruben Amorim has the backing of fans to bring about lasting change. Now he must deliver.

From the start, Amorim has always said, given the choice, he would not have taken on the monumental task of awakening English football's most successful club from its slumber when he did, mid-season.

The Portuguese coach insisted he was given a “now or never” ultimatum before succeeding Erik ten Hag last November, taking an underperforming side to plentiful lows — worst finish, most defeats, fewest points and fewest goals in their Premier League history.

Amorim asked supporters to judge him after he had a full preseason to instil his ideas properly. Three new forwards gives him greater tools to succeed.

Such spending comes as a surprise. New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe insisted only in March that the club were so low on cash when his company Ineos bought a minority stake in late 2023 they faced going “bust by Christmas”.