Ruben Amorim crouches down and observes Manchester United's win over Everton from the touchline.
Ruben Amorim has had a solid start at Manchester United.
Winning two and drawing one of his first three games in charge, Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim would be within his rights to feel satisfied with the start to his tenure.
After his first game at the helm ended in a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town at Portman Road, Amorim sampled the taste of success as United boss for the first time four days when Bodo/Glimt visited Old Trafford in the Europa League.
He then experienced the thrill of winning handsomely on Sunday, watching his side beat Everton 4-0 at Old Trafford, marking their biggest margin of victory in the Premier League in more than three years.
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With all due respect, Ipswich, Bodo/Glimt and Everton should not be daunting opponents for Amorim. Nevertheless, United, as they found out in each game, albeit in different ways, know nothing is a given.
Wednesday night's trip to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal will mark Amorim's sternest test yet. The Gunners, after a minor wobble, have recently rediscovered their mojo, scoring 10 goals in their last two games, blowing both Sporting Lisbon and West Ham United away.
United do not have a particularly encouraging record at the Emirates, either. They have lost each of their last three visits and are winless in six since prevailing 3-1 in the FA Cup fourth round in 2019.
United lost both visits to the Emirates during the Erik ten Hag era, losing 3-2 in 2022/23 and 3-1 last season. On another day, United may have won last season's encounter had VAR not chalked off what Alejandro Garnacho thought was the winner.
Throughout Ten Hag's reign, United struggled away from home against fellow members of the Premier League's traditional 'big six'. In 10 games at Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur on the road under Ten Hag, United failed to record a single win, drawing three and losing seven, conceding 31 goals in the process and managing just one clean sheet.
Manchester United were humbled 7-0 by Liverpool at Anfield in March 2023. (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images.)
United faced Tottenham in their opening away game of last season and Ten Hag made no secret of the need for his team to improve on their travels in his pre-match press call.
"Well, this is one of the aims we have for this season, that we have to step up in away games to get more points, to bring higher levels, because that is the foundation, of course, for more points," he said in August 2023. "So, it's often to do with personality.
"So, yes, that's the demand from me on the players and that we have to show more personality on the pitch to win such games, and to get more points in away games."
Ten Hag's demand fell on deaf ears; United lost 2-0 at Spurs and it was the first of four defeats they suffered away from home against members of the 'big six', also losing to Arsenal (3-1), Chelsea (4-3) and City (3-1). A 0-0 draw at Anfield against Liverpool was as good as it got.
If United are serious about re-establishing themselves as one of the division's elite, they need to improve their away record against opposition striving for the same targets. Wednesday's trip to Arsenal is the first of three away games against 'big six' counterparts before Christmas.
For Amorim, the challenge of facing Arsenal, City and then Spurs on the road in three of United's next four away games is unlikely to faze him. If anything, he will embrace the opportunity and use it as both a personal challenge and a collective one for his team.
Despite the need for improvements across the board, United's players will be buoyed by their start to the Amorim era. They are also seven games unbeaten since Ten Hag's exit.
However, the sternest challenge since the Dutchman's departure is now on the horizon. All eyes will be on Amorim to see if he can solve the problem Ten Hag failed to.
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