16/10/2025
Manchester United head to champions Liverpool with the aim of winning successive Premier League games for the first time under Ruben Amorim.
Rúben Amorim heads into Manchester United’s return to Premier League action this weekend with renewed optimism. However, a defining run of four crucial matches now awaits, beginning with a daunting trip to Liverpool — a sequence that could make or break United’s season.
Before the international break, United eased some of the pressure on Amorim with a solid 2-0 win over Sunderland — one of their most convincing performances since his appointment. That victory helped steady the ship after a dismal loss at Brentford a week earlier, which had raised serious questions about his leadership.
Since then, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has publicly backed Amorim, insisting it may take up to three years for the Portuguese coach to truly impose his philosophy — a reminder of how long it took Sir Alex Ferguson to find success after joining in 1986.
Still, Amorim knows those words will mean little if the team fails to improve on last season’s 15th-place finish — United’s worst top-flight result since their 1973–74 relegation.
The win over Sunderland lifted the Reds to 10th, only the second time they’ve been in the top half this season. It was also just their 10th win in 34 league games since Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag in November last year, and they’re still searching for back-to-back league victories.
Their next challenge could hardly be tougher — a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday (16:30 BST), where United haven’t won since 2016 and had scored just once in eight visits before last season. Few expect them to take all three points, but the fixtures that follow — Brighton at home, then Nottingham Forest and Tottenham away — could be even more decisive.
On paper, these matches present an opportunity to gather momentum and climb toward the European places — the club’s stated target this season. Yet, recent history suggests otherwise: United have lost to all three of those sides in the corresponding fixtures over the past two campaigns, each under Amorim’s management.
19 October: Liverpool (Away)
Ironically, the toughest of the four fixtures is the only one United have earned points from in the last two years. In January, Lisandro Martínez gave United their first lead at Anfield since 2016, but it took Amad Diallo’s late equaliser to secure a draw after Harry Maguire missed a golden chance to win it in stoppage time.
“When we are focused and fight for every ball, we are a good team,” Amorim said. “If we don’t do that, we lose.”
25 October: Brighton (Home)
Amorim’s frustration boiled over after this match — another poor performance and Brighton’s third straight league win at Old Trafford. United had levelled through a Bruno Fernandes penalty after a VAR reprieve, but defensive lapses saw Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter punish them, with André Onana’s blunder gifting Brighton a third.
“In the last 10 Premier League games, we’ve won two,” Amorim lamented. “Imagine how this feels for our fans — and for me. We’re maybe the worst United team in history.”
1 November: Nottingham Forest (Away)
A second consecutive league defeat at the City Ground deepened United’s misery, made worse when former player Anthony Elanga — sold to Forest for £15 million in 2023 — scored the winner with a superb solo run and finish.
“One transition from our own set-piece,” Amorim said ruefully. “We can’t concede goals like that.”
8 November: Tottenham (Away)
Tottenham have become something of a nemesis for Amorim. They defeated United four times last season — including in the Europa League final, which denied the club a Champions League place. Spurs’ 1-0 league win in February, sealed by James Maddison, marked their first league double over United since 1989–90.
With such a demanding schedule ahead, Amorim’s ability to inspire consistency and resilience will be tested like never before — and could well define his long-term future at Old Trafford.
