Ruben Amorim hears Rangers trophy claim to fame loud and clear as Man Utd boss tells Clement 'I feel your pain'
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim says he feels Philippe Clement’s pain at Rangers - because they’re both suffering at huge clubs.
The Portuguese coach is under severe pressure at Old Trafford as they sit 14th in the Premier League table. United take on Gers on Thursday night in a crucial Europa League clash and Amorim admits he has sympathy for Clement. The Ibrox gaffer has also been under-fire this season, with Gers under-performing in the Scottish Premiership.
Amorim believes both men are in the same boat in trying to get two massive clubs back on their feet again. As he faced a grilling ahead of the Battle of Britain, he pointed to the Ibrox side's formidable trophy record, saying: “It’s really hard when you’re at a massive club and Rangers have won a lot. I believe they’ve won the most titles in Europe. So it’s hard for any coach there. I hope to improve my team before they do, especially tomorrow! But I feel the pain of the Rangers coach.”
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Those of a Celtic persuasion will of course have something to say about that after they overtook their rivals for major trophies won when they lifted the Premier Sports Cup in December. But Amorim was laser-focused on his own team as he looks to drag them out of a concerning slump.
United have lost four out of their last five home games, including a 3-1 loss at the hands of Brighton on Sunday. He needs a victory over Rangers at Old Trafford to get them back on track and is desperate to avoid a Europa League play-off.
Clement’s side have performed well on their European travels but go to Manchester without the likes of John Souttar and Danilo who are injured - and Mohamed Diomande and Ianis Hagi who are suspended and ineligible. But Amorim is refusing to underestimate Rangers.
When he was Braga boss almost five years ago, the only two games he lost were against Steven Gerrard’s side in a two-legged European tie. He expects Clement’s men to be physical and dangerous in attack, with in-form striker Hamza Igamane leading the line.
The United boss said: “We’re expecting a tough match. There will be a lot of physicality in the game but I know a lot of important players for Rangers won’t be playing.
“So we have to know the new players coming in to understand how they play. I know their full-backs play really high on the pitch and they have talent to score in the final third. So it’s another difficult game for us but an important one for us because we want to skip a play-off in the Europa League.
“It will be a tough match and I’m sure Rangers fans will make some noise. We’ll be prepared for that and we want to win.”
