Amorim believes a storm is still waiting as they prepare for trip to Gunners

Ruben Amorim has warned that difficult days still lie ahead for Manchester United and will be “discovered” in some matches – with the Portuguese coach predicting “the storm will come” as he tries to make his mark on the team press.

Amorim has guided United to one draw at Ipswich and then back-to-back victories over Bodo/Glimt and Everton since taking over from Erik ten Hag, but now faces his biggest test yet with a trip to title contenders Arsenal on Wednesday evening.

If United win at the Emirates Stadium, they would be three points behind the Gunners, but Amorim thinks it is wrong to compare his team with Arsenal.

“I want to say several things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come,” Amorim said of his party's progress.

“We are going to have difficult moments and in some matches we will be discovered. And I know that, because I know my players and I know football. So I understand the difference between the teams. We are at the point where we stop doing simple things in the team, without training. And you feel that.

“Against Everton they changed the way they built up. They are a very good team and we had a lot of problems because you can't change by shouting one thing to the captain. We don't have this training.

“So let's focus on every match, on the performance, on what we need to improve to win games. That's the focus. I know it's hard being the coach of Manchester United and saying these things in press conferences.

“We always want to win, no matter what happens. We are going to try to win, but we know we are at a different point if you compare us to Arsenal. It is what it is. We will try to win and go .” with confidence to win, but we know we have to play very well to win the next football match.”

'Maybe I won't get the same time as Arteta'

Amorim also believes he may not be given the same time and patience to turn United around that Arsenal counterpart Mikel Arteta was given a few seasons ago.

During Arsenal's renaissance from bottom half of the table to title challengers, Arteta's job security was in jeopardy.

In his first full season in charge in 2020/21, Arteta took Arsenal to just outside the relegation zone at Christmas, while they started the following season with three consecutive defeats without scoring.

Now Arsenal go into the match in second place with Manchester United as favorites and trying to close the gap with Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a nine-point cushion.

“It's a great job. Sometimes coaches are only judged by titles, but I think what he has done at Arsenal is great. He has transformed the team,” Amorim said of Arteta.

“He has brought in some young players who are now big talents in this country. I hope to have the same mentality in the difficult moments because I have been watching this competition for a long time. It is a very good quality of Mikel, so I think he's doing great.”

Asked whether Arsenal will be rewarded for continuing to trust Arteta, the new United boss said: “That's always important for a coach: to have that trust.

“But we have to recognize that Manchester United is a little bit different. All the attention you pay here all the time, so I know sometimes it's not possible to have all that time.

“So we'll try to get that done and try to do things a little bit faster, knowing that there's tremendous attention and judgment here every day.”

Arteta: Defeat against Amorim two years ago means nothing

Arteta's only previous meeting with Amorim came two seasons ago, when his Arsenal side were defeated on penalties by Sporting CP in the last 16 of the Europa League.

Asked about Amorim's start in Manchester, Arteta said: “You can see his fingerprints straight away. He has been very clear.

“He has been very successful at Sporting. It is remarkable, after so many years, what he has achieved there, especially the way he did it.”

“It brings energy and new ideas to the club and the players. That's always something positive, but we have to focus on what we have to do.”

When asked if Arsenal wanted to take revenge on Amorim after the European setback two seasons ago, Arteta replied: “No revenge. In football it's about a new chance.”

“It's going to be very different. We played against Sporting last week and it was very different from two years ago. It has no meaning.”