Manchester United have undergone another summer of change with a major overhaul in the attacking department to back Ruben Amorim, but that support must remain
06:00, 16 Aug 2025
Chris McKenna
Chris McKenna is the Daily Star's boxing correspondent and an expert voice on the 'sweet science', along with a hugely experienced football reporter, who primarily focuses on Merseyside giants Liverpool and Everton. He has covered world title fights all around the world, Champions League finals, FA Cup finals and Premier League title deciders.
Ruben Amorim
Manchester United must continue to back Ruben Amorim(Image: Manchester United via Getty Imag)
Manchester United have had another cultural reset this summer apparently.
You get the feeling that they might just be doing the old IT trick of turning it on and off again at this stage. Unfortunately, we’ve heard it all before when it comes to the Old Trafford club.
Getting rid of the bad eggs, giving the manager the players he needs for his system, turning the mood positive. So often it leads us all to think that the once great team of English football could be back to mix it with the big boys again. Yet it has always turned out to be a false dawn. There’s been a few of them in the last decade.
Ruben Amorim has to make sure this is not another. There will need to be patience and no panic if United stutter in the early stages of the season. They’ve invested heavily in the squad and they need to put more into it.
Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba looked the right shape to plug the big gap in the middle of the park for them, but that deal appears to be off. While Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko will need to improve the attacking threat of a side that was so goal shy last season you’d think they were almost allergic to scoring.
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim has been backed in the transfer market(Image: Getty Images)
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Although you'd worry for them if Andre Onana remains the man between the sticks at the other end.
The problem for Amorim is the problem his predecessors have suffered with - the scrutiny at Old Trafford makes it much more difficult to turn it all around.
If they lose tomorrow at home to Arsenal and struggle against Fulham and Burnley then he will go into the September international break with serious questions being asked of him.
Some might say that’s fair after he led them to 15th last season and suffered embarrassment in losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final. Especially when they’ve spent £200m or so this summer and it could rise to £300m if they land Baleba.
But, as previous United managers have found out, it’s impossible to restart something if every game turns into a must-win or the head coach is heading for the chop.
New Manchester United signings Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha pose together with team shirts prior to the pre-season friendly match between United and Fiorentina
United have already spent big on Mbeumo, Sesko and Cunha this summer(Image: Getty)
That pressure and negativity spreads quick and the goodwill from the summer months will evaporate while the paint is still drying on their swanky refurb of Carrington training ground.
If Ineos can’t turn down that heat then Amorim will soon find himself cooked like the Erik ten Hags and Louis van Gaals of this world were.
Obviously, if United upset the odds and strike the earliest of blows to Arsenal’s title hopes then it will be the other extreme of everyone thinking they’re suddenly challengers.
In reality, United need to slowly and steadily rebuild with the top eight the target this season before trying to crash the Champions League party next term. They need calmness around the club.
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But, as Gary Neville often says in a dull monotone voice, this is Manchester United. It doesn’t really work like that. United are one of sport’s great soap operas.
Amorim’s task is making sure they get the results this season to keep the drama away but he will need those above him in the sporting structure to help if they don’t get off to a flying start.
If not then the IT man might be round advising to switch it on and off again.
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Sky reckon that punters are turning to dodgy boxes and firesticks because they can’t watch Saturday 3pm kick-offs?
Not so sure about that. It might be more to do with the cost of following football from the sofa these days.
Will they guarantee if they can show games on a Saturday afternoon that the prices will stay the same or come down? Because it’s having to watch the pennies which is turning people to piracy.
They can - illegally by the way we are not recommending it - pay a one-off fee a year and watch every game of football pretty much from around the world at all hours of the day.
Or they can pay a big sum to Sky every month for less? It’s quite obvious the problem.
ONSIDE
Chelsea players donated some of their bonuses from the Club World Cup to the Jota family. Class.
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OFFSIDE
Alexander Isak on strike? It’s time to be professional and get back to training.