New Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is preparing to take charge of his first game this weekend. The Reds take on Ipswich Town at Portman Road as they look to get off to the perfect start under the Portuguese manager.
Full concentration will be on that game, but looking down the fixture list is a run of three Premier League games that catch the eye. And Amorim doesn’t have long to get his feet under the table before they are upon United.
The run starts with an away trip to face Arsenal on Wednesday, December 4 (8.15pm kick-off). Just three days later United host high-flying Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.
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There is then a midweek Europa League trip to take on Viktoria Plzen before United are back in Premier League action on Sunday, December 15 (4.30pm kick-off). That games sees the first Manchester derby of the season at the Etihad Stadium.
The three Premier League games in that run at the start of next month sees United come up against three of the current top five. Results could potentially define if a top-four challenge under the new boss is realistic for the end of the season.
A run of positive results will close the gap and raise confidence within the United squad. It would be a perfect set-up for the second half of the season.
However, if the results aren’t so positive it could have the opposite effect. It would make a potential challenge for Champions League football next season a lot harder.
United currently sit in 13th place in the Premier League table, having picked up 15 points from their opening 11 games of the season. That leaves them four points off Arsenal in fourth place, a gap that could potentially reduce to just one point should United come out victorious in the opening game of the run.
Nottingham Forest, in fifth place, are also just four points ahead of United. Man City, meanwhile, sit in second place on 23 points, seven points ahead of United.
Pep Guardiola’s side have however hit a dip in form. They have lost their last four in all competitions, if that run continues that United could close the gap significantly before the meeting between the two teams next month.
