Zürcher Nachrichten - Amorim wants sense of urgency at Man Utd despite Ratcliffe backing

In an interview with the Times newspaper's The Business podcast, last week, British billionaire Ratcliffe said Amorim has to "demonstrate he is a great coach over three years".

Amorim is approaching a year in the Old Trafford hotseat and is yet to win back-to-back Premier League games.

Doing so away to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday would be a major step in the right direction and the Portuguese knows he will be under intense pressure until results improve.

"You know, I know and Jim knows that football is not like that," Amorim said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, referring to Ratcliffe's timescale.

"The most important thing is the next game."

United ended the season 15th in the Premier League last term -- their lowest finish for 51 years -- and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League when they lost the Europa League final to Tottenham.

They have fared little better this season, sitting 10th in the Premier League after losing three of their first seven league games and crashing to a shock League Cup defeat at fourth-tier Grimsby.

Yet Amorim has so far retained the support of Ratcliffe, CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox.

"First of all, I can feel it. It's not just that thing that people talk, I feel it every day. Sometimes the pressure that I put on the team, on myself, is so much bigger than them," said Amorim.

"I know that it's going to take a while but I don't want to think like that. I said that last year. I think it also helps our fans to understand that the leadership understands that it's going to take a while.

"But, at the same moment, I don't like that because it will give a feeling that we have time to work things out. I don't want that feeling here in our club.

"It's good to feel the support but we need to prove in football, and especially in big clubs, that in every weekend we are ready to win games."

A 2-0 victory over Sunderland before the international break eased the scrutiny on Amorim's position.

Goalkeeper Senne Lammens made a positive impression on his debut against the Black Cats -- sections of the United support even compared him with club great Peter Schmeichel.

United have been hampered by numerous goalkeeping errors from both Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir during Amorim's reign.

"The first impression in this club is really important. To maintain the level is even more important and is really difficult," said Amorim.

"He's not Schmeichel, yet, he's a young guy with talent, he showed a lot of composure and the fans liked it but that is in the past and we need to prove in the next game."

M.Hug--NZN