Manchester United's likely starting lineup for Ruben Amorim's 'special' home debut
Ruben Amorim drew his first game as Manchester United manager at Ipswich Town on Sunday, now he looks for his first win in the Europa League, on his home debut at Old Trafford
by David McDonnell · The MirrorRuben Amorim says tonight will be a “special” moment for him when he takes charge of his first Manchester United game at Old Trafford.
Amorim's first game as United boss was a 1-1 draw at Ipswich on Sunday, but he is relishing tonight's game under the floodlights at the Theatre of Dreams, in a Europa League tie against Bodo Glimt.
“Everybody said to me that it will be a special time,” said Amorim. “I just want to win the game and to give that happiness to the supporters. Before the match it will be like a new sensation, but after the whistle it will be one more game and we want to win that match.”
The new United boss is also convinced he can get United striker Marcus Rashford back to the form that saw him plunder a career-best 30 goals the season before last. Although Rashford scored the first goal of the Amorim era at Ipswich, the forward – still exiled from the England squad – has found the net just five times in 18 games this season.
Amorim said Rashford can rediscover his best form and fulfil his potential, but only if the 27-year-old – who played as a central striker at Ipswich - has the desire to do so himself.
"I will try to help him," said Amorim. "That position is not the best one for him, especially in a game like that [Ipswich]. With high pressure, we had to kick the ball so many times and he was, like, fighting with two giants.
"So we'll try to find the right solution for him, as for the other players. But it has to be Marcus, first of all, to try to return to that moment and then he will have the help of all the staff, of all the club, of all the fans, because he is a Manchester United boy. But he has to be the first one to really, really want it."
United have only scored 13 times in 12 Premier League games this season, with Amorim calling on all of his attackers to improve their goal output to help the team.
"Of course there is a concern about that," said Amorim. "But I think we have to improve as a team, because we have quality players who can score so many goals. So we'll try to improve as a team and then Rasmus [Hojlund], Joshua [Zirkze] and Rash will score more goals. Even Bruno [Fernandes] has to score more. Amad has to be better near the goal.
“We can score so many goals. You are trying to find out if I need a new striker to score goals. But we need to improve as a team and these players can score more goals."
Manchester United (3-4-3): Onana; Mazraoui, De Ligt, Shaw; Diallo, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dalot; Fernandes, Hojlund, Rashford
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