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Well, we were already all set to face Man U on Wednesday, but we found out on Monday that we’ll also host them in the FA Cup Third Round on 11 January. Lest we get carried away with the memes about drawing smaller sides in this cup, let’s remind ourselves that the side we face in January may differ quite a lot from the side we face on Wednesday. Ruben Amorin took the wheel on 1 November but has barely had time to implement any of his tactics much less learn the players’ names. Still, there’s been an uptick in Man U’s fortunes. Whether that’s the “new manager bounce” or something deeper, we’d do well to be wary. This is no longer the Man U that we’ve come to enjoy…
Even if Man U are merely experiencing that “new manager bounce,” we should be on our guard against underestimating our visitors and erstwhile rivals. If there’s something deeper, well, then, it should go without saying (but here I am saying it) that we’ll have to look even sharper. Rumours abound around Amorim walking fatigued players through drills. On the other hand, they’ve shown degrees of improvement, drawing away to Ipswich 1-1, narrowly edging past Bodø/Glimt 3-2, and then blitzing Everton 4-0. Green shoots? Maybe. None of those clubs’ names strike fear into the heart (although I do have fond memories of our old friends Bodø/Glimt).
With those fixtures in mind, it’s hard to know what to expect from Amorim on Wednesday. Yes, he’ll probably deploy his preferred 3-4-3, much as he’s done in those first three matches, but, he’ll probably play a more-conservative approach, the kind that we might remember from facing his Sporting CP side back in the 2022-23 Europa League when his parked-bus tactics deeply frustrated and ultimately derailed us. De Ligt has looked uncomfortable in a back three, Martinez is unavailable due to injury, and Evans is, well, _old_. There’s still Maguire, but he’s…Maguire. Short version: Amorim may not have the personnel available to frustrate us as he did with Sporting CP.
Even with Amorim and the squad enjoying a honeymoon period, we really should find our way past them. We are after all ascendant after thrashing some random Portuguese club whose name escapes me and then laying waste to a Prem side as well, ten goals scored across both matches. I won’t say we should simply ease past Man U on Wednesday (although we really should).
Having said all that, it might be worth looking ahead to this FA Cup tie. It would be all to glib and easy and self-sabotaging to assume that the Man U we face in January will be the same as the one we’d faced on Wednesday. By the time we face off again in the FA Cup, Amorim will have had time to instill his vision into the squad. Certain players (Rashford? Garnacho? Fernandes?) will have been rejuvenated. Understandings will have been forged. Momentum may have built.
Whatever result…results from Wednesday’s clash will have little to no bearing on January’s clash. Let’s hope for now that we have enough wind in our sails to outstrip the wind in Man U’s sails. Liverpool may enjoy a nine-point cushion, but it’s only just now December. There’s a lot of football to be played, and we’re reminding ourselves that we’re quite good at playing it. Next challenge: Man U.