Ruben Amorim has already made his thoughts perfectly clear on Mikel Arteta and Arsenal
Ruben Amorim and Mikel Arteta are set to have multiple battles in the Premier League and the new Manchester United manager's thoughts on the Arsenal boss are clear
by Patrick Austen-Hardy · The MirrorNew Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim once said he looks up to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
Amorim, 39, has now been officially confirmed as Erik ten Hag's replacement. The Portuguese boss will become the latest young boss to take charge of a global football giant.
He and Arteta are leading a new brand of young coaches looking to make their mark on European football. Amorim has a positive record over the Gunners boss, having knocked the Gunners out of the Europa League Round of 16 in 2023.
Nevertheless, the former Braga chief admits Arteta is an example to young coaches like himself.
Before his Lisbon side faced the Gunners in 2023, Amorim said: "In our first season we won the league, then were runners-up and we qualified for the Champions League last 16. .
"This year we are struggling, but Arteta is an example because he was able to withstand the pressure, which is unbearable for a team in the Premier League. Now he is bearing the fruits.
"It is important for fans to understand that to pick up the fruits from your work, you have to wait."
Arteta looked certain for the sack in the opening weeks of his third season in charge. After finishing in eighth position two seasons in a row, his third campaign began with three consecutive defeats, no goals scored and nine conceded.
Arsenal's fortunes suddenly improved, finishing the campaign in fifth position, before recording back-to-back second placed finishes in the Premier League. Arteta is also an admirer of Amorim's work in the Portuguese capital.
When asked about Lisbon's football before their Europa League clash, Arteta said: "The variety, options and the change in formations that they can do, and within that shape as well. The profile of players especially the wing-backs change their behaviours.
"We know that, and until we have the line-ups, we will have a few question marks as we try to understand what they will do."
Amorim inherits a United side that are 14th in the Premier League and 21st in the Europa League table. Meanwhile, the Gunners have enjoyed a strong start domestically and in the Champions League.
They are only five points behind Manchester City and are joint third in the Champions League table, albeit on the same amount of points as City, Monaco, Brest, Bayer Leverkusen, Inter Milan and Sporting.
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