Joao Noronha Lopes, a candidate for the presidency of Benfica, has refuted claims that he plans to lure Ruben Amorim, the under-pressure Manchester United manager, back to Portugal. Noronha Lopes aims to succeed Manu Rui Costa in the upcoming election on October 25. He has expressed interest in bringing Bernardo Silva from Manchester City back to his former club.
Amorim's tenure at Manchester United has been contentious, with the team securing only 31 points from 31 Premier League matches under his leadership. This performance is the poorest among all 17 clubs that have consistently been part of the Premier League since Amorim took charge last November. Tottenham also has 31 points but with a better goal difference.
Despite rumours, Noronha Lopes
is committed to retaining Bruno Lage as Benfica's coach after their second-place finish in the Primeira Liga last season. "He's a great coach, but he has a contract with Manchester United," Noronha Lopes told CMTV when asked about Amorim. "He is a Benfica fan. Of course, I like him, but I don't have a contract for Ruben to sign. "
Noronha Lopes clarified his intentions regarding Silva and Amorim during a visit to Manchester for the derby. He stated that he did not meet with either Silva or Amorim before the game. "We went to Manchester to watch the derby and took the opportunity to hold meetings and prepare for Benfica's future," he explained.
Amorim's win rate in the Premier League stands at 26% (8 out of 31 games), marking it as the lowest for any United manager since World War II. Only Alfred Albut (20%) and Scott Duncan (24%) had lower win ratios among those who managed at least 20 top-flight games for United.
Former United midfielder Paul Scholes has criticised Amorim's insistence on using his preferred 3-4-3 formation. Scholes believes that Amorim needs to adapt if he wants to continue leading United. "He cannot carry on playing this way, he just can't," Scholes told BBC Sport.
Future Prospects
Scholes emphasised that results are crucial for Amorim's future at United. "At some point there has to be a moment where he thinks, 'I have to change something because what I am doing now is not working and I am not getting results'," Scholes remarked.
The pressure on Amorim will intensify if victories remain elusive, regardless of how well the team performs otherwise. The need for wins is paramount if he wishes to alleviate mounting pressure on his position.
