Ruben Amorim has backed the fan protests that are scheduled to take place ahead of Manchester United’s Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday.
Supporters’ group The 1958 have called for match-goers to march to Old Trafford at 3pm and wear black to mark how, in their words, the club is “slowly dying”.
It follows from last Sunday when Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) joined with Fulham Supporters’ Trust (FST) to show support for the Football Supporters’ Association’s Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign. United fans are concerned about ticket price rises, with rates for next season yet to be announced, and angered at the £1billion debt placed on the club since the Glazers’ leveraged buyout in 2005.
Amorim, who is managing amid a backdrop of further redundancies at United, understands the views of fans. “For everybody in our club it’s a really tough moment,” he said. “It’s everything at the same time. The only thing I can do, and our players, is perform well and win.
“People have the right to protest. I think it’s a good thing to do that. It’s part of our club. Everybody has a voice.
“But our job and my job is just to improve the team and give them something in this moment because they deserve it and they are amazing.”
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Amorim’s task is made difficult by the injuries impacting his squad, with only 15 senior players available for the trip to Real Sociedad. He is not sure if Harry Maguire or Manuel Ugarte will be fit to return, and had no return date for Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw.
But he sounded a note of positivity of Amad, who may now play this season after his ankle ligament injury. “I have the hope to have Amad before the end of the season,” he said.
Chido Obi is available after being ineligible for the Europa League tie, with the second leg at Old Trafford now Amorim’s priority.
“The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes (at Sociedad),” he said. “We have to prepare Sunday and think about this important game for our season on Thursday.
“When you are in this kind of club you cannot think like that with a small squad in this moment. We are trying to see all the players who are fresh and who are not in danger of getting an injury. Even with that we have to risk a little bit but we have to be competitive on Sunday.”
Amorim admires what Mikel Arteta has done but insists he will not get the same opportunity to get things right as the Arsenal manager. Arsenal finished eighth, eighth, and fifth in his first two-and-a-half campaigns.
“I will not have the time Arteta had, I feel that,” Amorim said. “It’s a different club. I think in that aspect the way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody but I will not have the time like Arteta had.”
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(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
