Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou both find themselves under huge pressure at Manchester United and Tottenham.
Both clubs entered the 2024/25 season aiming for a top-four finish. Yet, here we are in February and Sunday’s clash will see 14th face 15th in the Premier League.
Unlike Tottenham, Manchester United felt it was necessary to make a managerial change after their poor start to the campaign. Ruben Amorim has warned of relegation since joining United, and sadly that will be the aim until the season ends.
With a strong Premier League finish out of the equation, Amorim is focused on improving performances.
Amorim is stubbornly sticking to his style of play and trying to get his ideas across to an underperforming squad. In that sense, he sees a lot of himself in Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.
Ruben Amorim compares himself to Ange Postecoglou
Like Ruben Amorim, Postecoglou is set in his ways. His Spurs side tends to play on the front foot with an extremely high defensive line. Many times this season, though, that has proven costly for the North Londoners.
One key difference between the two managers is their time in the job. Postecoglou joined Tottenham in the summer of 2023 whereas Amorim is just three months into his Man United project.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Amorim also believes he can “change a lot” in games in order to help his side win – something that Postecoglou has been hesitant to do.
“I am a huge fan of Ange, and I told him that before the Carabao Cup game,” Amorim said. “I think he’s right, but I think I’m a coach that can change a lot to win games.
“But certain things I don’t compromise. That is clear for me, and I feel that with Ange it’s the same thing.
“If you look to all the coaches that are here in England, all the top coaches they are a little bit like that. In different areas, but they don’t compromise in certain things.
“I’m one of them.”
What happened last time Man United faced Tottenham?
Last time Amorim came head-to-head with Postecoglou, United suffered a dramatic 4-3 defeat to Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.
Altay Bayindir made a huge error against Spurs, allowing Son Heung-Min to score directly from a corner late on. United were in a period where they were struggling to handle set-pieces, but the Red Devils have worked hard to fix that flaw.
Joshua Zirkzee, Amad Diallo and Jonny Evans were all on the scoresheet last time out, but United will be without Amad until the end of the season after he suffered an ankle injury.
Scoring goals has been a problem in recent weeks, but United found openings against Tottenham last time out and the London side are just as low on confidence as Amorim’s side are.
Dominic Solanke scored twice for Spurs in the cup clash, so Amorim will be eager to keep him quiet this time around.