Ruben Amorim helped guide Manchester United to a landmark win on Sunday when they downed rivals Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League
Ruben Amorim has a few rules in place at Manchester United(Image: Getty)
Ruben Amorim led his Manchester United side to a significant victory against their rivals Liverpool on Sunday. Despite facing considerable pressure this season, it appears that some of his rules may be starting to pay off.
A decisive header from Harry Maguire in the final moments of the match secured a crucial 2-1 win for United, following Cody Gakpo’s equaliser which had nullified Bryan Mbeumo’s early goal.
Senne Lammens put on an impressive performance at Anfield but failed to maintain a second consecutive shutout, despite recently implementing a ‘ban’ on any mention of clean sheets. Lammens is known for his superstitions and has prohibited any talk of clean sheets before he steps onto the pitch. This unusual ban reportedly extends to both family members and team-mates.
However, this isn’t the only rule that Lammens and his United colleagues must adhere to. The MEN highlights four regulations that Amorim himself has implemented at the club, including a food ban and stringent guidelines for his coaching staff.
No international break holidays
Following several high-profile incidents where players such as Marcus Rashford took holidays when not selected for England, Amorim has enforced a ban preventing players from going abroad if they are not chosen for their national team.
The rationale behind this ban is to ensure rest and minimise travel. When introducing this change, Amorim emphasised the standards that the club must uphold, which have previously been compromised.
Rashford came under fire last year for a trip to the US(Image: Getty)
Amorim explained: “We as a club have to set the standards and manage that. It’s my decision if they can have five days, or three days, or three days to rest and you cannot fly.
“This is something that us as a club have to decide,” he added. “So this must be started in the club, with us and me being responsible in that area.”
No food allowed in the changing room
A further regulation designed to enhance physical conditioning is a prohibition on bringing food into the changing room on matchdays. This directive was put in place as part of a drive towards elite fitness levels.
The instruction was made public last December, when Amorim addressed questions about his squad’s physical condition and delivered a revealing comment about fitness standards.
“You can do a starting line-up with the best players on the planet, without running they also won’t win,” he declared in December of 2024. “We have to run like mad dogs, if not we won’t win.”
Defeated side in training collects equipment
A fresh regulation that has been brought in ahead of this campaign is one designed to encourage responsibility. When the squad divides into two teams during a training ground fixture, the defeated side must collect all of the equipment.
This was implemented following United’s abysmal 15th-place finish last term and players have commented on it and a substantial improvement in standards.
The losing side in training is made to clear away equipment(Image: PA)
Speaking on the rule, Toby Collyer, a United player on loan, told The Athletic: “Everyone wants to be the team that wins. You don’t have to get the gear in then. It’s a jeopardy if you lose! All the other teams have to get the gear in.”
Diogo Dalot also noted an improvement in pre-season standards compared to the previous year, suggesting in early August that the new rule might be effective. He stated: “If you want to be in Manchester United, you need to match some standards. If you can’t match them, it’s not a place for you.”
No complicated instructions from coaches
In his initial weeks at the club, Amorim made it abundantly clear that his coaches were not to give overly complicated instructions to his players, aiming to simplify communication.
Amorim’s coaches aren’t allowed to complicate things(Image: Getty)
He intended to introduce the style he used at Sporting CP, which was detailed and required specific players to understand and perform their particular roles, reports the Mirror.
By avoiding burdening players with hard-to-grasp orders, they can master their roles perfectly and act according to instruction on the pitch.
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