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Ruben Amorim's spell at Manchester United is considered by many to have been a significant letdown. By any measure, his results stands out for all the wrong reasons. During the contemporary football age, no United manager has recorded a lower points average, nor secured a league finish as poor as the 15th spot. Looking deeper into history, you have to go back to Frank O'Farrell in the early seventies to find a United boss who lost a higher percentage of matches. Additionally, he notoriously secured a place in the team's history by enduring a loss in a final to Spurs, namely Postecoglou's iteration of the North London club.

The game, however, is not often so straightforward. Despite the negative press of his 3-4-2-1 formation, Amorim exits a team in a much stronger condition than the one he took over. Earlier this season, following a win against Brighton & Hove Albion, the striker Welbeck shared that fellow players were praising United as the most impressive team they had faced in a long time. The football in a thrilling high-scoring tie with Bournemouth was both promising and exciting.

While it is hard to contest the termination—especially given it was allegedly caused by his criticism of bosses with more miserable track records—Amorim's exit was finally hampered by atrocious luck. If the absence of key players not happened at the same time as the absence of other pivotal figures, he may still be in the position—maybe succeeding.

A New Era Begins

Consequently, Darren Fletcher inherits a relatively positive state of affairs. Important figures like Mason Mount, Fernandes, and Mainoo are now fit, while Amad Diallo and Mbeumo will in the near future be back from the Afcon. Simply sensible stewardship of this gifted group is expected to be adequate to guarantee a fifth-place finish and, with it, European competition for the coming campaign—probably in the elite European Cup.

Burnley's Formidable Test

The home side, but, are unlikely to make things easy. Even with having only 12 points and suffering defeats in 3 of their most recent five games, their displays have frequently been more impressive than the results suggest. Head coach Scott Parker will undoubtedly have his squad revved up to attack opponents who are likely to field an lineup that has lacked cohesion, deployed in a system they have not used for more than a year.

Match begins: 8:15 in the evening GMT.