United’s four-test gauntlet: Amorim’s rebuild under pressure

Manager Ruben Amorim is stepping into one of the season's pivotal stretches with Manchester United, feeling cautiously optimistic after his side finally caught their breath before the international break with a comfortable 2-0 win over Sunderland.

That victory halted a wave of criticism aimed at the Portuguese coach after the desperate defeat at Brentford, and it restored some of the confidence that had slipped away inside Old Trafford.

But United face four tough fixtures ahead that could define their season, determining whether they can at least secure a Champions League place next year.

Liverpool test: the impossible mission

The run kicks off at Anfield against Liverpool, then a meeting with Brighton at Old Trafford, followed by two away tests at Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

Amorim knows words are not enough unless results follow; last season's 15th place was the club's worst finish since relegation in 1974, and no United supporter will accept a repeat.

The win over Sunderland lifted United to 10th, the second time this season they sat in the top half, yet they still chase their first back-to-back win in more than a year.

United's Liverpool test is the hardest assignment, as they have not celebrated victory there since 2016 and managed just one goal in eight visits before last season.

In January they drew 2-2 after taking the lead through Lisandro Martinez, only for Amad Diallo to snatch a late equalizer, while Harry Maguire spurned a late chance. Amorim's post-match remarks echoed the frustration: when we play with focus, fight for every ball, and persevere, we become a good team; but if we slack off, we will lose.

Brighton at Old Trafford: the recurring curse

Next up comes Brighton, the foe that has turned into a real thorn at Old Trafford, with Brighton winning three straight league games there.

In January they lost 1-3 after a lackluster display; Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty to level, but a late sequence saw a Brighton forward finish and Onana make a costly miscue when the keeper's clearance slipped from his hands into the net for the third.

Amorim's blunt reaction after the match was: in the last ten league games we won only twice. Imagine how a United supporter feels, and imagine how I feel; we may be the worst team in the club's history.

The memory of that Brighton result already looms as the next fixture approaches, a reminder that the path to progress is seldom linear.

Nottingham Forest and Tottenham: the scar and the recurring headache

On November 1 United visit the City Ground, after last season's 0-1 defeat to Forest, with the goal coming from Elanga after United allowed the counterattack from a corner.

Amorim's reaction: a goal from a counterattack after a corner for us; we cannot concede like this.

The final stop of the stretch is Tottenham in London on November 8, after United suffered four defeats to Spurs last season, including the Europa Conference final that kept them out of the Champions League. In February they were beaten 1-0 by an early James Maddison strike — Tottenham's third win over United in a season, a feat not seen since 2012-2013. Amorim's blunt assessment then: the only difference in the match is that they scored and we didn't.

Between hope and test, Amorim knows these four games can make or break his project. The challenge is not only facing Liverpool but handling pressure after that, against teams less flashy but more organized. His philosophy emphasizes discipline and high pressing, but applying it at Old Trafford remains a work in progress, with recurring defensive errors, waning confidence, and lineup instability. If United can navigate the stretch with positive results, it could mark a turning point in Amorim's tenure; if not, patient talk and comparisons with Ferguson may not quieten a fanbase eager to see a team fight for every ball as promised.

Punchline 1: If patience were a tactic, United would win the league in three years.
Punchline 2: The rebuild may take time, but at least the memes will age better than the plan.