André Onana has backed his Manchester United teammates to “step up” and adapt to Rúben Amorim’s style after watching Sporting defeat Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League. Amorim, who will arrive in England next week to replace Erik ten Hag, prefers a 3-4-3 formation and intense pressing, in contrast to United’s 4-2-3-1 under his predecessor.
“I did watch the game yesterday,” Onana said before United’s Europa League game at home to Paok. “Great victory from them [Sporting], by the way. Different system, but the players, my teammates, we are all pragmatic. I think everyone here is capable to play in each system, so I don’t think this will be any issue for us. We have big players, so they will step up.”
United have drawn their opening three matches in the Europa League, a key contributor to the sacking of Ten Hag, but will be heavy favourites against Paok. The interim head coach, Ruud van Nistelrooy, has overseen a victory in the Carabao Cup over Leicester and a league draw against Chelsea but is yet to hold conversations with Amorim, who will take charge of one more Sporting game on Sunday, about the team or his future.
Onana also played under Ten Hag at Ajax and was brought to United in July 2023 but was unable to replicate the success the two had together in the Netherlands. “We didn’t win enough games, it’s so simple,” Onana said. “At a high level, it’s not easy, sometimes you have to pay the price. Unfortunately it was him, but we did everything, players gave everything, we worked hard, we tried our best, but it just didn’t work.”
One player looking to benefit from Amorim’s arrival is Rasmus Højlund. The incoming head coach has got the best out of Viktor Gyökeres, who scored a hat-trick against City, and will hope to do similar with United’s No 9. Van Nistelrooy, asked what Højlund needed to do to reach his potential, said: “Stay calm and believe in himself, believe in his qualities like I do, like his teammates do. He knows he’s young, he’s promising, it’s daily work that he’s putting in that will pay off.”
United have been boosted by the return to training of the long-term absentees Leny Yoro and Tyrell Malacia but neither is expected to feature in Van Nistelrooy’s final two games.
