Ruben Amorim is preparing for kickstart Manchester United’s season after the international break with a trip to high-flying Nottingham Forest next week as he looks to continue their promising form
Manchester United will resume their Premier League season with a trip to Nottingham Forest next week as Ruben Amorim looks to continue their promising form. The Red Devils have had a turbulent season but are starting to show signs over improvement under their new boss.
United haven’t lost in the Premier League since a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on February 16, a run stretching back four games, with the last game being a 3-0 win at Leicester City.
Amorim’s men are also through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League against Lyon, but first face tough tests against Forest and City.
Mirror Football has rounded up the biggest news and gossip in the run up to the game at the City Ground
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Rashford told he can improve at Aston Villa
Marcus Rashford was struggling before he left on loan for Aston Villa after falling out with Amorim, but now he has a fresh start to enjoy at Villa Park. Rashford’s spell in the Midlands has been mostly positive since his January switch after registering four assists from four starts.
His improved displays have seen him earn a recall to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad as he started both games in the international break against Albania and Latvia.
Rashford’s progress has been well received by his new club after club chief Monchi tipped him to go from strength to strength under the guidance of boss Unai Emery. There has been uncertainty over Rashford’s future amid claims he could still return to Old Trafford this summer and fight for his future under Amorim.
But Monchi believes Emery could help Rashford and any other signing have a bright future at Villa Park, saying: “Unai is a coach who has historically helped players grow.
“Coming here makes players better, and that’s our main selling point, beyond offering a project that’s fighting for the top eight in the Champions League, that wants to continue growing, and that wants to keep playing in Europe.”
Onana wants Old Trafford stay
Rashford has been reported to be among a crop of up to eight players who could be offloaded this summer, and another player said to be on that list is goalkeeper Andre Onana. The Cameroonian has come under fire over a number of high-profile mistakes this season,. making three errors leading to goals in the Premier League.
There have now been suggestions Amorim could be looking for a new No 1, with Mirror Football outlining on Wednesday that the former Inter Milan shot-stopper is being chased by a number of clubs from the Saudi Pro League.
But despite being offered a lucrative deal in the Middle East that would secure him an exit from Old Trafford, Onana is planning to stay put for now. The 28-year-old signed for £47m in 2023 and penned a five-year deal but has been testing the patience of supporters with his questionable displays.
Onana was one of five players who were recently name-checked by chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe as some of the stars the current United regime had “inherited”, saying they will have to continue paying his transfer fee this summer.
Fernandes “sacrificing career” at United
One player who will not be on the chopping block this summer is captain Bruno Fernandes, who has repeatedly chipped in with an important goal to keep them in a game or clinch a result.
The Portuguese playmaker has been one of United’s most consistent players since joining from Sporting Lisbon in 2019, scoring 95 times in 277 appearances so far. This season he has 14 goals and 13 assists in all competitions but has still been criticised by some pundits, including Roy Keane.
Ex-United man Phil Bardsley – who spent 15 years on the books at the club – agreed that Fernandes could do more but insisted he was putting his career on the line to dig the Red Devils out of a hole.
He told Boyle Sports: “Roy Keane is right in the sense that Bruno Fernandes can do more, but in any other team he would be winning trophies and he’s probably sacrificing his own career to try and help Manchester United get back to where they want to be.
“He is the standout performer week in and week out, you only have to look at his goals and assists. I’d be scared to see where United would be without him. He doesn’t back out of challenges and his work rate is unmatched, but the standards that Roy set as a captain means he won’t like how Bruno sometimes looks frustrated and throws his arms in the air.
“But that’s obviously because he wants to win trophies with United, that is his personality and he will be instrumental in United trying to get back up the table.”
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