Ruben Amorim and Manchester United are flying high after upending expectations by winning at Liverpool, and they will soon have a golden opportunity to silence another critic now.
The history and heritage of Manchester United have been built on proving people wrong with the siege mentality Sir Alex Ferguson was a master at cultivating.
Ruben Amorim isn’t quite as keen on forming an ‘us against the world’ mentality at Old Trafford, but if there was ever a time to do it, it is coming soon.
That is because he’s now set to face a manager who, just in May this year, claimed that he would win more games than him if given the Man Utd job.
Ruben Amorim was challenged by Sean Dyche
Sean Dyche is not one to give media-trained platitudes in interviews, and it often results in some very quotable remarks.
The flipside is they can age horribly, too, but at least no one can call him dishonest.
It is why he made waves in the footballing world in May this year when he went on The Overlap and made a bold claim about Man Utd.
Dyche claimed he’d win more than Amorim if given the United job by just simplifying the system and not “over-teaching” the players.
He said Amorim needs to start winning quickly if he wants to stick to his style, adding that he wants the Man Utd job because of the “worldwide” feel to it.
He said: “Manchester United was always the job I wanted because of the size of the club. Not just because it’s Man United, but because of the sheer grand job it is.
“There’s a worldwide feel to it. He better win some games [if he won’t change his style], pretty quick, in my opinion.
“I reckon if I went there and played my way, I’d win more games. I’m not just saying that, just 4-4-2. Give them basic rules and principles. You don’t have to over-teach everyone.”
Dyche will now test himself against Amorim
It is ironic to hear Dyche claim he’d win more than Amorim because he was out of a job, having been sacked by Everton, when he made that comment.
Dyche has a perfectly fine reputation in the Premier League circles as a firefighter, and that’s precisely because he is looked at as a guy who can win a game or two quickly.
He simply isn’t seen as someone capable of leading a consistent project with a pleasing style of play, two things necessary to land a big job.
The irony is such that he will now test himself against Amorim precisely because of those reasons, as Nottingham Forest panicked and appointed him recently to save them from relegation.
United travel to Forest for Dyche’s first home game, so he will have the fans behind him, but after silencing Anfield, Amorim will want to silence Dyche as well.
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