The Clarets Take On United in Key English Top Division Fixture
Amorim's spell at Manchester United has been labeled a major letdown. Statistically speaking, his results stands out for all the wrong factors. In the contemporary football age, no United manager has achieved a lower points average, or managed a final position as low as 15th in the table. Delving further back, you have to return to Frank O'Farrell in the early seventies to find a Red Devils' gaffer who was defeated in a larger share of fixtures. Moreover, he notoriously carved a niche in club lore by suffering a cup final defeat to Tottenham, namely Postecoglou's side of the North London club.
Life, though, is seldom so straightforward. Despite the negative press of his 3-4-2-1 formation, the Portuguese manager exits a team in a far better condition than that which he found. Months ago, following a victory over Brighton, Welbeck shared that his colleagues were lauding United as the most impressive opposition they had faced in some time. The performance in a breathtaking 4-4 draw with Bournemouth was both encouraging and exhilarating.
Even though it is hard to dispute the termination—particularly given it was said to be triggered by his comments about executives with more miserable records—Amorim's downfall was in the end hindered by awful fortune. Had the absence of vital players not occurred alongside the unavailability of other important individuals, he might still be in the position—possibly even.
A New Era Begins
As a result, Darren Fletcher takes over a reasonably positive state of affairs. Key figures like Mason Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Mainoo are now fit, while Diallo and Mbeumo will in the near future rejoin from the African tournament. Merely careful stewardship of this talented group should be sufficient to guarantee a fifth-place finish and, with it, European football for the following term—probably in the coveted European Cup.
Burnley's Daunting Challenge
Burnley, however, will not be a pushover. Although having only 12 points and losing 3 of their most recent five outings, their displays have at times been more impressive than the outcomes indicate. Manager Scott Parker will surely have his team pumped up to attack the visitors who are set to field an lineup that has lacked cohesion, arranged in a setup they have not used for over a year.
Match begins: 20:15 GMT.
