The new Manchester United boss will come up against Guardiola in this weekend’s derby showdown at the Etihad.
Ruben Amorim will take be involved in his first Manchester derby as United boss this weekend (Martin Rickett/PA)
Ruben Amorim will take be involved in his first Manchester derby as United boss this weekend (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire)
Ruben Amorim says he never spoke to Manchester City about becoming Pep Guardiola’s replacement as the Manchester United head coach prepares for his first derby in charge.
The 39-year-old established himself as one of Europe’s finest up-and-coming coaches with his transformational work at Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon.
United quickly moved to appoint Amorim after sacking Erik ten Hag in late October, when he had been linked to City amid uncertainty over Guardiola’s future.
The fact Sporting director of football Hugo Viana is taking that role at the Etihad Stadium next summer added an extra dimension, but Amorim insists the Old Trafford post was his only ambition.
Asked if he ever had a conversation about the prospect of joining City at any point, Amorim said: “Never. Never had and this was my only option.
“When Manchester United talked to me, I had no doubts because I had already something in my mind (that) it could be a possibility.
“With Manchester City or Hugo Viana? Nothing about that.”
Guardiola ended speculation about his future shortly after Amorim stepped foot in Manchester, with the City boss signing an extension until 2027.
The 53-year-old put pen to paper midway through what is his worst run of results since taking over in 2016, with Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat at Juventus continuing that wobble.
The reigning Premier League champions have won just once in their last 10 matches in all competitions, with seven of those games ending in defeat.
One of those losses was masterminded by Amorim, whose Sporting side secured a stunning 4-1 Champions League triumph as he waited to take the reins at United.
But for all the champions’ challenges, the Portuguese does not buy into the talk this could be a good time to face City.
“I never think about these things,” Amorim said. “We will face a great opponent and I’m more focused on our problems, so we have a lot of issues here.
“I’m more focused on what we should do on Sunday to win the game, so I’m really focused on my team.”
Asked if United are facing a different, weaker City, he said: “No, no, no, no.
“The great teams can respond in any moment, and I think they are in a better place than us in the type of understanding the game, the way they play, the confidence they have. Even in these kind of moments.
“We have a lot to focus on in our team. Of course we have a strategy to try to win the game with the strategy like it should be, but we are focused just on our team.”
City may be struggling but they still enter the weekend fourth in the Premier League standings, eight points better off than their neighbours.
Back-to-back defeats to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest leaves United in 13th spot on a paltry 19 points heading into Sunday’s eagerly anticipated derby.
“I’m really focused on the details,” Amorim said.
“I just want to improve the team, so I cannot live it like a normal derby like it should be, like two great teams fighting for the title. It is not that in this moment.
“So, it is just one more game with a very good opponent.
“Both teams are struggling in the moment, so I hope in future I can feel that real feeling of a derby, but I know it’s really important for our fans.
“But my goal now is to improve the team, win games and I will try to win this game.”
Among the areas for improvement is the form of Andre Onana.
The goalkeeper impressively overcame a shaky start to life at United last season, but he has wobbled in recent matches and gave away the opening goal during Thursday night’s Europa League comeback win at Viktoria Plzen.
Onana’s poor pass was cut out and led to Matej Vydra’s goal for Plzen, before United substitute Rasmus Hojlund’s brace sealed a 2-1 victory.
“You have to take it like it is,” Amorim said of goalkeeper’s form. “He had already in the past a past situation like that, so we have to work on this.
“If you see the play, we are trying to build up a lot with the goalkeeper making the bounce (pass) with Matta (De Ligt) a lot of times.
“This time we have a disconnect a little bit during the play and when we try this we suffered a goal. A difficult goal for us in the (beginning) of the second half.
“But we managed today, not like against Nottingham, to help Onana like he did in the past for us.”