Ruben Amorim applauds the fans during Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton
Manchester Untied are unbeaten in three games since Ruben Amorim took charge Credit: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt
Ruben Amorim admits he is uncomfortable with Manchester United fans giving him his own chant, insisting he does not want to take the spotlight away from the players.
United fans have been quick to bestow their new manager with his own terrace tribute, with his name sung to the tune of KC & The Sunshine Band’s Give It Up.
But while he says he is “honoured”, the Portuguese said he would be happy if he did not hear it again.
“I don’t like my chant. I don’t like it,” he said. “I feel a little bit, not embarrassed, but because I’m the coach, they have to chant for the players and for the club. So it’s not a good thing for me.
“I understand and really appreciate the connection with the supporters but I want them to support the team and the players because they are on the pitch and I’m outside the pitch.
“But I am really honoured by that, I feel a connection with the supporters but we know we need results to maintain that.”
Amorim, who had been serenaded with his bespoke version of the Eighties disco hit in all three of his games in charge, should prepare for disappointment should his side manage to inflict defeat on Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
Ruben Amorim, Amorim 🎶 pic.twitter.com/M0Iq1fL2Uc
It would be a first win for United in six attempts in the league at Arsenal’s home, a run stretching back to December 2017.
“It’s the best team that we faced by far but every game is a test without so many minutes to train and because we are trying to manage the number of minutes for a lot of players,” he said.
“But Arsenal, it is hard for me to say as Manchester United, but they are in a different moment.”
Amorim urges players to be ‘brave’ against Arsenal
Mikel Arteta’s side look a difficult proposition at home particularly after Martin Odegaard’s recovery from injury has returned the swagger and confidence to their play with convincing victories over Nottingham Forest, Amorim’s former club Sporting and West Ham in their last three matches.
Asked what he will tell his side before they go out to face Arsenal, Amorim said: “It will be important for us to be brave. When I say brave it is not pressing all the time higher, we have to understand the game.
“We have to have the ball, that is a key point, we want to dominate some moments of the game, because in this match it will be hard to control all of the game but if I say something, we have to be brave.”
Amorim, who introduced himself to staff at Old Trafford on Sunday, said he was excited to name one of the higher-profile employees, Leny Yoro, on the bench for the first time after the £59 million summer signing regained full fitness following a frustrating pre-season foot injury.
Yoro has yet to make a competitive debut for the club after fracturing his foot against Arsenal in Los Angeles on July 27 but from what he has seen from limited training sessions, the 19-year-old has impressed his new boss.
“I think he’s a special talent. You have to be careful in this first moment, because we didn’t have too many training [sessions] together,” Amorim said. “He is really fast, a modern defender and that is good when you want to press high and you leave a lot of strikers one against one. I think he can manage that, he is very good with the ball. I am really excited.”
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