Ruben Amorim drops crystal clear Manchester City job response ahead of derby

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Life could have been very different had Ruben Amorim chosen to manage a smaller club from Manchester.

Many saw the former Sporting CP manager as being the ideal candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Man City and there were reports of brief talks with West Ham in the past.

Ruben Amorim became Manchester United head coach last month, after being linked with several jobs in the Premier League. Many saw the former Sporting CP manager as being the ideal candidate to replace Pep Guardiola at Man City, and there were reports of brief talks with West Ham in the past.

Guardiola’s future looked uncertain until Amorim arrived at United. It was announced shortly after that Guardiola would be staying at City for another two years through to 2027.

However, City got a taster of what Amorim is about when his successful Sporting CP side trashed Guardiola’s men 4-1 earlier this season.

City’s questionable run of form has continued in Europe as doubts grow over their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Meanwhile, United remain unbeaten in the Europa League and are on course to qualify for the next round with two games remaining against Rangers and FCSB.

Ruben Amorim claims Man City links were nonsense

United fans will be happy to hear that Amorim was never in line to become City boss.

The 39-year-old has downplayed claims that there was a chance he’d replace Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to reporters at his press conference on Friday afternoon, Amorim said: “Never, I never had [conversations]. This was my only option.

“When Manchester United talked to me, I have no doubts because I had already something in my mind that it could be a possibility. And with Manchester City or Hugo Viana, nothing about that.”

Amorim’s rocky start to life in the Premier League

Amorim has only won one Premier League match as United head coach, recording a 4-0 win against Everton in his first game at Old Trafford.

It’s going to be a big task to add to that tally this weekend against City, but Amorim needs to avoid defeat or he’ll become the first United manager since 2015 to lose three consecutive league games.

That would be an unwanted record as it was avoided by previous managers such as Erik ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick, OIe Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho.

United’s record against City in the league doesn’t read well, but hopefully we start to see some sort of ‘new manager bounce’ in the derby on Sunday.