Ruben Amorim has certainly made a positive start to life in charge of Manchester United, with the newly-appointed manager overseeing an unbeaten start from his three matches so far in all competitions. The Red Devils true with Ipswich Town, before following that up with wins over Bodø Glimt and Everton, which has seen them build some momentum heading into the festive period.
Our team at MyBettingSites caught up with former Manchester United defender Paul Parker, who issued his thoughts on Amorim’s start with Manchester United, as well as some of the main talking points in and around Old Trafford.
“Amorim has made me enjoy watching Man United again, to be honest. It’s not because it’s perfect at all, but I can see what he wants. I can see some ideas, which I haven’t been able to for a long time now.
“I liked Erik ten Hag but one of his issues was that he wasn’t able to get his own ideas expressed through the players, and that’s something Amorim seems very good at.
“It’s entertaining to watch them, just as it was entertaining to watch Sporting as well. I think, that’s also something you need to gain the trust from the fans, and in tough periods it will help you as a manager.”
One player that has caught the eye in particular in recent weeks is Amad Diallo, who chipped in with two assists in a convincing 4-0 win for Manchester United against Everton in their most recent home match. The winger has featured regularly for the Red Devils this season, which he’ll certainly be pleased with, having struggled for consistent game time in the Manchester United first-team, despite impressing when he featured.
Parker revealed that he wasn’t at all surprised to see Diallo thriving under the new setup under Ruben Amorim’s management, and outlined the 22-year-old’s qualities that he brings to the Manchester United team.
“I am not surprised at all by how well Amad Diallo has done. You can put that kid anywhere and he will perform. It´s lovely for him, because he has worked so hard during his loan spells and now it’s finally paying off.
“For me, he is one of the first names on the team sheet. He is a key player, and I think he has the potential to become one of the best players in the league. Of course, he is not there yet, and he will still struggle from time to time, but this role suits him perfectly.
“The thing is, for players like him, with that pace, it can actually benefit them to play that position, because as a winger you will very often receive the ball at your feet, but as a wingback you will have the space you can run into without the ball.”
One slight issue that the Old Trafford faithful might be concerned with is Diallo’s future at the club. The Ivorian international’s current contract is set to expire upon the conclusion of the 2024/25 season. Parker doesn’t think there will be many issues in convincing the winger to sign a new deal with Manchester United, which is something their supporters will be hoping comes true in the near future.
“His contract will not be an issue. If he has a good agent, he will get that sorted very quickly. Why would he want to move away? He is a young player, he is a star for one of the biggest clubs in the world and he can’t get that anywhere else.
“For Amad, it’s not about the money now. He has a long career, and he has enough time to make a lot of money. He just has to do what’s best for himself, which is to sign a new contract as soon as possible, but I can’t imagine it will be a problem at all.”
Noussair Mazraoui has proven to be a versatile option for Amorim to use in his Manchester United team, with the former Bayern Munich full-back playing at both midfield and at centre-back most recently. Parker issued high-praise for the 27-year-old, and labelled him as a ‘very special player’.
“Mazraoui is a very special player. He is my favourite. He reminds me of myself, because he might not be the best player, but he always gives you a 7/10 as a minimum. Not always a 10, but never below 7, which is a crazy and rare quality to have.
“He is so consistent and has been for many years now, which is really impressive. The fact that he has managed to do so well in that position tells me a lot about him as well, and he just has to continue now. For me, if you asked me to put the strongest Man United lineup for, he would be in it every single time.”
Rasmus Højlund is another player that has made a positive start to the season, especially since Ruben Amorim took charge at Old Trafford. The Danish forward netted a brace against Norwegian side Bodø Glimt in the Europa League, and Parker feels as though Højlund is better suited to Amorim’s system compared to Joshua Zirkzee.
“Hojlund fits much better to this system than Zirkzee does, in my opinion. Amorim needs a work horse up front, which Hojlund is. None of them are top class, but Højlund has the potential to become one, and he is very similar to Gyokeres, so I think this is Højlund’s chance now.
“I don’t know if Zirkzee would be better at the position behind the striker, but at that position there are too many people for him to get a real chance, I think. I think Amorim will rotate a lot because his way of playing is demanding a lot from the players, but in the important moments and games, I expect Højlund to be the man.”
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