Amorim issues warning to United fans after Man City hammering in last night’s Champions Leagaue fixture in Lisbon.
Amorim issues a disclaimer to Manchester United fans ahead of his imminent arrival at the club.
Sporting’s 4-1 thumping of Manchester City was a fitting way to end his final home game as head coach, according to Rúben Amorim. However, he cautioned that he cannot be as “defensive” as the Portuguese champions when he takes over Manchester United.
Viktor Gyökeres’s hat-trick and Maximiliano Araújo’s goal gave City their first Champions League defeat of the season after Phil Foden had opened the score. However, Amorim made it apparent that the outcome would not matter when he reports to United the next week.
“We cannot transport one reality to another,” he said. “United cannot play the way we play, they cannot be so defensive. Of course it’s good to beat City. But I’ll be living in a different world, we’ll have to start from a different point.”
He was asked if this was a dream manner to sign off. “Yes. I couldn’t ask for anything better, it was a very important moment for all. But we had the luck – this was a one off.”
Amorim joked prior to the match that if Sporting defeated their fiercest rivals, some United supporters would see him as the “new Ferguson.” “I was playing with words when I said that I am not going to read anything for six months,” said Amorim. “I am going to focus on the team.”
At the end the 39-year-old was given a rapturous reception from the home supporters and the bumps from his players. “I thanked everyone for the win,” he said. “If we hadn’t won the match, the moment wouldn’t be so nice. It was better with a win over City.”
“I wasn’t expecting to be raised in the air, I know what I did for them, and what they did for me. I will keep these memories with me for ever. The most important moment for me was when we lost 5-0 to City [two years ago] and everyone applauded.”