Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim welcomes public support from Sir Jim Ratcliffe
By Eleanor Crooks, PA Sport Correspondent
Ruben Amorim welcomed public support from minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe but believes the pressure will be back on if his Manchester United side flop against Liverpool on Sunday.
Victory against Sunderland a fortnight ago bought Amorim a little bit of breathing space ahead of the international break, during which Ratcliffe gave an interview suggesting the Portuguese had three years to prove himself.
“He tells me all the time,” said Amorim, who is approaching his first anniversary at Old Trafford.
“Sometimes with a message after games, but you know, I know and Jim knows that football is not like that. The most important thing is the next game.
“Even with owners, you cannot control the next day in football. I know that, but it’s really good to hear that. Also because of the noise, but he tells me, and (chief executive) Omar (Berrada) and (director of football) Jason (Wilcox) tell me that, all the time.
“First of all, I can feel it. It’s not just that thing that people talk, I feel it every day. Sometimes the pressure that I put on the team, on myself, is so much bigger than them.
“I know that it’s going to take a while but I don’t want to think like that. I said that last year. I think it also helps our fans to understand that the leadership understands that it’s going to take a while.
“But, at the same moment, I don’t like that because it will give a feeling that we have time to work things out. I don’t want that feeling here in our club. It’s good to feel the support but we need to prove in football, and especially in big clubs, that in every weekend we are ready to win games.”
One big positive of the Sunderland victory was the performance of new goalkeeper Senne Lammens.
The Belgian was signed from Royal Antwerp last month and his debut at Old Trafford led some fans to compare him to Peter Schmeichel.
Throwing the 23-year-old into a game at Anfield would be a very different occasion, and Amorim challenged Lammens to build on his good start.
“Of course he did a good job, it is possible he’s going to start the game,” said the Red Devils boss.
“The first impression in this club is really important. To maintain the level is even more important and is really difficult. He’s not Schmeichel, yet, he’s a young guy with talent, he showed a lot of composure and the fans liked it but that is in the past and we need to prove in the next game.”
Casemiro, Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo all missed training with their team-mates on Thursday after international duty but are fit for Sunday’s match.
Noussair Mazraoui, who has not played since last month and sat out Morocco’s games, remains a major doubt while defender Lisandro Martinez is close to returning to full training following the knee injury he suffered in February.
