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Since Ruben Amorim accepted the responsibility of attempting to restore the fallen Mancunian giants back to their glory days, he has taken charge of seven games so far. Today, we break those seven games down, what went wrong, positive signs, and any other factors worth mentioning. First game: Ipswich Town 1-1 Manchester United (Premier League) 4/10 Amorim’s tenure kicked off with a game against newly promoted Ipswich Town who, at the time, only managed one victory in their last 11 fixtures. On paper United should’ve coasted to a comfortable win. The match proceedings were anything but. Marcus Rashford smashed the Red Devils ahead after just two minutes, but Omari Hutchinson levelled things a few minutes before half time. In truth, the home side had the better chances and should’ve scored a few more, but for Andre Onana’s heroics in the United goal. An ageing midfield pairing of Casemiro and Eriksen proved detrimental against a young Ipswich side who ran through the midfield with relative ease. However, United were playing with panache and a style of play seemed to be forming. A young Ipswich Town team overran United's midfield but struggled to find a way past Andre Onana, who won save of the month in this game Second game: Manchester United 3-2 Bodo/Glimt (Europa League) 5/10 European fixtures are never easy. Just ask Pep Guardiola, whose Manchester City side, prior to this game, were trounced 4-1 by Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon side in the Portuguese capital. Chopping and changing his starting XI was to be expected, as the new man sought to figure out his best eleven. Rasmus Hojlund put in a sterling performance: his pressing forced the keeper into an error, which Garnacho duly converted for the opener. A well-taken double followed to hand United all three points. Third game: Manchester United 4-0 Everton (Premier League) 7/10 As of 16 December 2024, Everton’s Jordan Pickford and United’s Andre Onana are joint top for clean sheets (six). Years of mismanagement and debt accumulated under owner Farhad Moshiri have seen the Toffees slide down the table, which nearly cumulated in relegation in the 21/22 season. Under Sean Dyche and with first choice England keeper Pickford in goal, they have built a reputation for having a watertight defence. Against United’s swashbuckling attack, it turned out to be a one-sided affair. Rashford and new summer signing Joshua Zirkzee nabbed a brace each, with Amorim’s usual 3-4-2-1 formation in full flow. Amad Diallo, very much a peripheral figure under the previous manager, was at his scintillating best. Typically a winger but playing as the right wing-back, he was given license to roam and grabbed it with both hands. One minute he’s tracking back and making tackles, the next minute he’s marauding up the pitch, ball at feet, eyes always scanning for the best possible option. What’s even more impressive is that he played the full 90, and not once did his standards drop. Mentality monster. Still only 22-years-old, the future looks very promising for the Ivorian. Joshua Zirkzee does the gunfingers celebration a la Robbie Keane, just without the forward roll Fourth game: Arsenal 2-0 Manchester United (Premier League) 4/10 This was Amorim’s first real test at United. Runners-up for the past two seasons, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side have a reputation for having one of the meanest defences in the league, and also for set-piece goals. The latter was clearly on show that day, with Arsenal’s two goals coming from set-pieces, headed in by defenders Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes. It wasn’t all doom and gloom for United: promising signs such as players looking sharper and confident, clear on their instructions and roles on the pitch. Set-pieces remain a weakness, as it was under the previous manager Erik Ten Hag, but one mustn’t forget, this is only Amorim’s fourth game in charge. A transitional period is to be expected. Fifth game: Manchester United 2-3 Nottingham Forest (Premier League) 2/10 In fairness, Nottingham Forest have been flying this season. With the impressive Chris Wood leading their attack, and pace and creativity in midfield, and a robust defence with different skillsets, Nuno’s men are proving to be tough opponents. Still, at Old Trafford, one would expect United to get a result at their home ground. Forest scored after just two minutes, another set-piece goal. Hojlund equalised soon after. All square at half time, but the visitors came bursting out of the blocks as the second half kicked off. A long-range effort caught Onana, so promising in recent games, flat-footed. Chris Wood (who else?) added a third, and suddenly United were in danger of letting the game run away from them. Captain Bruno Fernandes pulled one back, but it was not to be. A second consecutive loss for the Red Devils. Cold picture. Results-wise? Absolutely steaming Sixth game: Viktoria Plzen 1-2 Manchester United (Europa League) 6/10 Last year, United goalkeeper Andre Onana endured an error-strewn first season, with many supporters questioning the unceremonious departure of club legend David de Gea by the board and manager. On the night, he did his doubters no favours, with an underhit pass handing the Czech side the lead. Enter Ramus Hojlund. The Danish international was immense in the previous European fixture, and today was no different. A double, including a late winner, handed United all three points in their bid to qualify for the next stage of the competition. Seventh game: Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United (Premier League) 11/10 Be real guys, we all knew this was coming. And get ready for a long-ass piece. The best game under Amorim so far. Reigning champions City, winless in their last 10 games in all competitions, were still a force to be reckoned with. A few hours before kickoff, it emerged that Amorim had left Garnacho and Rashford out of the travelling squad completely. Whether it be the rumours of alleged United lineup leaks before the embargoed timing by members of the squad or simply performance-related, United had bigger worries on their minds. Two wounded giants, one led by a serial winner albeit cheating scum (115 charges, we see you) and one led by an up-and-coming manager. No United manager had won their first Manchester derby since the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in 1986, so the odds were stacked against Amorim. But, as club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer once said, “Mountains are there to be climbed.” A cagey first half, in which United poked and prodded at the City defence without much effect, saw City take the lead, once again from the result of a set-piece. For the most part, the Red Devils sorely missed the runs in behind by Garnacho and Rashford, which would’ve stretched a typically compact City side. Sloppy passing and indecisiveness almost led to more goals for the home side, but Haaland and co found Harry Maguire in scintillating form. Harry Maguire channeling his inner prime Paolo Maldini on Sunday The second half saw United adopt the same style of play: a patient buildup, prodding and testing the City backline, trying to exploit any gaps, not rushing things. The away support increased their volume to try and galvanise their team on, wanting to see some form of attacking intent. Bruno Fernandes missed a golden chance to put his team level, and a collective groan echoed around the Etihad. United had been guilty of squandering chances in the past and not killing off games, and it looked like a recurring theme, until one man decided enough was enough. Enter Amad Diallo. Capitalising on a sloppy back pass by Matheus Nunes, Amad raced towards the City goal with only Ederson to beat. Realising the angle was narrow, he attempted to cut the ball back and was duly hacked down by a recovering Nunes desperate to make up for his mistake. Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. Penalty for United. Bruno Fernandes stepped up, took a deep breath, and sent Ederson the wrong way. A roar of delight reverberated around the stadium. 88 minutes gone, United were finally level. City were wounded and hurting. The home fans knew it. The away fans were baying for blood. United smelt it, and duly went for the jugular. In the first minute of stoppage time, barely two minutes after Fernandes levelled proceedings, Lisandro Martinez picked up the ball, and with no City players immediately pressing him, scanned the vicinity. Amad, now inverted, made a run in between the opposition defence. Martinez picked him out with a lofted ball, and Amad dinked the ball past an onrushing Ederson, before directing the ball into the net from a tight angle. Cue euphoria. Amad Diallo sprinted to the away fans to celebrate. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, two unused substitutes, embraced the Ivorian, wide smiles plastered on the faces of the United players. Ruben Amorim pumped the air with joy, whilst Pep Guardiola collapsed in his seat, head in hands. The City players looked at each other, baffled. The home fans were silenced. For the first time in four years, United had triumphed at the home of their crosstown rivals. Post-match celebrations saw Amorim declare to a reporter, with a wry smile, that “Manchester is Red.” Similar Instagram posts by United players appear to take the mick out of City, all in good fun of course. Banter is a vital part of football rivalry, as long as the line isn’t crossed. My personal favourite? Rasmus Hojlund’s post (shown below) aimed at Kyle Walker, who comically fell to the floor in the hopes of getting the United player sent off, following a confrontation between both men after an unsportsmanlike barge from the latter. Walker is 34 by the way. Kyle Walker is no stranger to cheating, just ask his ex-wife A long way to go Hopefully United will take this as a sign that things are clearly working out, and to push on with the aim to improve instead of resting on their laurels. Amorim is clearly doing something right, but admittedly I said the same thing about Ten Hag in his first season. But the major difference between both men is that Amorim has repeatedly stressed that his tactics and formation will be decided by the players at his disposal, meaning that despite all the talk about his staunch refusal to budge from a 3-4-2-1, it does not mean the Portuguese is not willing to adapt to the game conditions. United currently sit 13th in the table, which sounds bad until you realise only six points separate us from fourth-placed Nottingham Forest (yes, you heard me right). The chase to the top four is on, in a bid to bring back Champions League football to Old Trafford. With a young manager at the helm – Ruben Amorim is only 39 – and a young team brimming with raw talent and massive potential, United have the best springboard to capitalise on, and with actual brains heading the football aspect (instead of the waste of space that are the Glazers), the future looks bright. Also, if it wasn't already blindingly obvious, I am an ardent Manchester United supporter, so expect a dash of biasedness and a splash of unseriousness except about everything that is and will be mentioned about the absolute parasites that are the Glazers, who really should carry a potted plant around to replace the oxygen they waste. - Fremont - Photos from Twitter (@utdscope)

Manchester United have once again signalled a restart with the sacking of Ten Hag, and just days later, announced the appointment of Ruben Amorim, who will join midway through the first half of the current season from Sporting Lisbon. Back to square one yet again for the Red Devils who, despite being one of the most successful clubs in England and biggest clubs in the world, have not won a league title since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013. Since then, they’ve gone through a whole host of managers with varying degrees of success. My exact reaction to Ten Hag's early dismissal, after the United hierarchy publicly backed him in the summer and gave him a new contract 2013 to 2016 - David Moyes was Sir Alex’s immediate successor, lasting just 10 months as United trudged to seventh place. His replacement was three-time Netherlands manager Louis van Gaal, who won the FA Cup but faced the sack two days afterwards. 2016 to 2022 - Jose Mourinho, arguably the biggest name on this list, won the Europa League and the League Cup in his first season, but fell out with certain players and members of the board, and bade United goodbye a week before Christmas in 2018. Club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stepped up and lasted the longest despite not winning anything, but was dismissed just five weeks shy of three years at United. Ralf Rangnick was brought in as an interim coach for the rest of the 21/22 season. 2022 to 2024 - Erik Ten Hag came from Ajax and despite winning the League Cup in his first season and the FA Cup in his second, was shown the door ten games into the 24/25 season after a poor run of results despite signing a new deal in the previous transfer window. The last Portuguese manager to manage United, and in my opinion, the best hire since Sir Alex's retirement However, with the investment of INEOS and its owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, himself a proclaimed United supporter and who assumed the responsibilities of the footballing aspects of the club, the club moved fast to snap up Amorim, who reportedly has been on their radar for quite some time. This marks a positive change of United identifying and signing targets that would benefit the club in the long run, much unlike when the Glazers, United’s majority shareholders and much-hated owners (with good reason), simply threw fat, lucrative contracts at big stars whose light were fading, clearly to boost shirt sales. Having been poorly run for the last eleven years, and one might argue even before Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, the future looks bright for the Mancunian club. Gone are the days of signing has-beens. United’s past few transfers have been with the future in mind – think Rasmus Hojlund, Leny Yoro, and Joshua Zirkzee – and many academy graduates have been promoted to the first team and have had a big impact – think Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. A young and vibrant United team overcame current title-holders and city rivals Manchester City in the 2024 FA Cup final, with academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo (not in shot) scoring the winner Given new gaffer Amorim’s track record at Sporting Lisbon, winning the club’s first league title in two decades and repeating the feat three years later, and going toe-to-toe with Europe’s elite in the Champions League despite having a significantly lesser budget, he will presumably have a lot of credit in the bank, even with the ficklest of United supporters. With the Old Trafford faithful yearning for an exciting style of play and the pacy, counterattacking football of the successful United teams of yesteryear, the Portuguese manager seems like a good fit for the fallen giants. Only time will tell if he can reap long-term success and bring back the glory days or end up as just another failed United project. - Fremont - Images from Twitter

New signings for the new season! With the departure of Varane and inpending sales of Casemiro, Eriksen, AWB and Maguire, these two new signings will augment the midfield and defence structure as we have Mainoo and Mason Mount with Dalot, Martinez and Shaw to shore-up these positions. Also, among the Academy players, Amad and Harry Amass were impressive in the pre-season friendly match against Rangers yesterday and deserves a place in the first team squad to bring MU to greater heights under ETH who signed a new contract till 2026. Upon the return of the regulars from Euro'24 in time for pre-season matches against Arsenal (28/7), Real Betis (1/8), Liverpool (4/8) and the Community Shield Cup against ManCity (10/8), these friendlies should confirm the starting-eleven before we swing into our first EPL match with Fulham on 17/8.

https://www.reuters.com/business/elon-musk-says-he-will-buy-manchester-united-2022-08-17/ Elon Musk says he is buying Manchester United August 17, 20229:49 AM GMT+8 Aug 16 (Reuters) - Elon Musk, the world's richest person, on Tuesday tweeted that he was buying football club Manchester United Plc (MANU.N), without offering any details. Musk has a history of being unconventional and making irreverent tweets, and it was not immediately clear whether he planned to pursue a deal to secure Manchester United. "I'm buying Manchester United ur welcome," Musk said in a tweet. The team is controlled by the American Glazer family. Neither the family nor Musk immediately responded to a request for comment. British newspaper The Daily Mirror reported last year that the Glazers were prepared to sell the club but only if they were offered in excess of 4 billion pounds.($4.84 billion) Musk is currently trying to exit a $44 billion agreement to buy the social media company, which has taken him to court. Manchester United is one of the world's best supported football clubs. They have been champions of England a record 20 times and have won the European Cup, the most prestigious club competition in the global game, three times. Dissatisfaction among fans at the Glazers' perceived lack of ambition to bring in top players intensified after the club finished sixth in the English Premier League last season, while crosstown rivals Manchester City won a second successive title. The football club had a market capitalisation of $2.08 billion, as of Tuesday's stock market close. Manchester United fans have in recent years protested against the Glazers, who bought the club for 790 million pounds ($955.51 million) in 2005, due to the team's struggles on the pitch. The anti-Glazer movement gained momentum last year after United were involved in a failed attempt to form a breakaway European Super League. Some fans have urged Musk to buy Manchester United instead of buying Twitter. Musk has a history of unconventional actions and comments, making it difficult sometimes to tell when he is joking. His ambitions range from colonising Mars to creating a new sustainable energy economy, and in the process he has built the most valuable car company in the world, electric vehicle maker Tesla, rocket company SpaceX, and a slew of smaller firms. One is a tunnel maker called the Boring Company. Musk has appeared to smoke marijuana in a podcast and fought U.S. regulators over his comments about his plans for Tesla, including an abandoned effort to take it private. Forbes estimates his fortune at $270 billion. ($1=0.8268 pounds)

Time for us to be great again! GGMU!!! Will JM bring champions league football back again? Will we even be champions of England?

The new fixture list is out. Man Utd play Spurs on the opening day. Falcao on loan to Chelsea. Is Depay the answer?