As Manchester United prepare to face rivals City in today’s derby clash, manager Ruben Amorim has made it clear that the pressures he faces cannot be compared to those of Pep Guardiola.
United, currently sitting ninth in the Premier League table, enter the derby ahead of City for the first time in five years. Guardiola’s side have endured an uncharacteristic run of two consecutive league defeats, dropping them to 13th place. However, Amorim insists that the Spaniard’s record of six league titles and a Champions League triumph in nine years places him in a different category altogether.
“To compare me with Guardiola is just a joke,” Amorim said. “He’s been winning all the time. Even if he doesn’t win now, he has nothing to prove. For me, every day is about showing I deserve to be here. I have to prove myself constantly, and I feel that pressure.”
Amorim, who arrived at Old Trafford after success with Sporting Lisbon, highlighted the progress his side has made despite early frustrations this season. “We know we have bigger problems, but we’re addressing them. The team is improving, playing much better what’s missing is being more clinical in front of goal. If we do that, results will follow.”
The Portuguese coach has enjoyed success against Guardiola before. Last season, while at Sporting, he oversaw a 4-1 win over City and later, in his first Manchester derby in charge of United, secured a dramatic late victory at the Etihad. Yet despite those moments, United ended the season in 15th place their lowest league finish in over half a century.
Reflecting on that difficult campaign, Amorim chose to look ahead rather than dwell on past struggles. “Last year, we had too many setbacks to count. Now, the focus is on the future. We have four points, and I believe we should have more, but what matters is being competitive. The derby is always special, especially for our supporters, and we’ll give everything to deliver for them.”
