Manchester United are still believing that coach Ruben Amorim will replicate the success he had at Sporting CP at Old Trafford, according to club captain Bruno Fernandes.
Amorim left Sporting in November to join United having led the Portuguese outfit to two league titles in four and a half years in charge. United have won only 11 of their 26 games under him.
“I knew the way Sporting was playing, I knew the fans were excited and the players were very happy with him [Amorim] there,” Fernandes said of Amorim to CBS Sports. “I think we all saw in the last game that he had there [at Sporting] how much togetherness there was with the players and staff during that time.
“Me and my teammates and the technical staff, including the manager, want to recreate that. To recreate that obviously we need trophies, too.”
United, who finished eighth last season in the Premier League, are 14th in the table after a 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday. They host Real Sociedad in Thursday’s Europa League round of 16 return leg after a 1-1 result in the opening leg.
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United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe recently backed Amorim, stating the 40-year-old will remain at the club “for a long time.”
Fernandes, who is United’s top scorer with seven goals, has a lot of responsibility as captain and understands what Amorim, who is also Portuguese, represents in their country.
Amorim praised Fernandes after Sunday’s game saying United “need more Brunos” after the midfielder scored a first-half free kick and almost netted a late winner against Arsenal.
Fernandes does not have, however, a special relationship with the coach.
“I wouldn’t say we’re quite close,” Fernandes said smiling. “We don’t speak that much to be honest. He is a manager that is very, very quiet…Obviously being the captain most of the things he wants to pass to the team many times come to me but many other times doesn’t even come from him but from his staff.
“Obviously, we have a good relationship but I wouldn’t say that is different than any other player. I knew the things that he was doing at Sporting but it wasn’t someone I knew personally.”
