In his last home game as Sporting Lisbon coach, Ruben Amorim saw his side deliver a thumping 4-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League in Lisbon on Tuesday evening.
Amorim will take charge of Manchester United on November 11, and for many his team’s Champions League display against English Premier League champions Manchester City was perhaps a sign of things to come.
The injury-hit City took the lead in the fourth minute through a Phil Phoden strike, but went to the break 2-1 down with goals from Viktor Gyokeres and Maximiliano Araujo for Sporting.
Gyokeres would add two more penalties after the break, as he completed his hat-trick as City were condemned to a crushing defeat.
Big job ahead
Following Erik ten Hag’s departure as United coach, Amorim was unveiled as the new man to lead the team. Former United player Ruud van Nistelrooy was appointed as interim coach until a permanent replacement could be found.
Amorim will lead United for the first time on November 24 in a trip to Ipswich Town, but the 39-year-old is under no illusion about the task which awaits him at the Red Devils as the club have made their worst league start since the 1986/1987 season.
"What I can tell you is that this doesn't mean anything in particular, don't take anything from this," Amorim said.
"It's misleading, we were very lucky today. We cannot transport one reality to another. Manchester United cannot play the way we play and we will have to adapt.”
Though he had the better of City and his opposite number Pep Guardiola on the night, Amorim had nothing but praise for the astute tactician.
"He is so much better than me at the moment. But I believe a lot in my newest club," Amorim said.
"We will start from a lower level, maybe I can say that, and we will improve the team, the club. Let's see.“