Ruben Amorim abandons Man Utd pre-match tradition devised by Erik ten Hag
Ruben Amorim has switched up Manchester United's pre-match preparations ahead of their first game of the new season on Sunday. United host Arsenal at Old Trafford and will be keen to get off to a good start, having endured their worst Premier League campaign last season.
And in a bid to ensure his players are as well-prepared for the game as possible, Amorim has scrapped something introduced by his predecessor Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman wanted his players to be at Old Trafford four hours before kick-off, travelling to the ground from their homes to share a pre-match meal.
However, Amorim has changed the routine and the players will now meet up at Carrington to eat before travelling to Old Trafford together. Explaining the move, Amorim told MUTV: "I always had the feeling that we arrive at Old Trafford and Old Trafford must be the centre of the game, but we cannot spend four hours there waiting for the game.
"And I feel with these facilities [at Carrington] we can be here, preparing for the game away from Old Trafford, and when we arrive at Old Trafford, we have to feel the fans and then go directly to the game, not killing the momentum of the connection with our fans.
"We know that we have a lot of people waiting there for us, to be with the players and to sign autographs. We will try to do the same.
"So, it's going to be the same experience for the fans. But for us it's going to be better because we are going to feel nearer the game, the momentum with the fans, and we will spend less time in there."
Amorim's decision comes after United spent £50million revamping Carrington over the summer, with chief executive Omar Berrada confident the changes will "positively impact the performance of our teams".
During the unveiling, Berrada said: "I have no doubt that it will positively impact the performance of our teams. This project represents a clear step towards unifying every part of the club around a shared footballing vision.
"By bringing our staff and players closer together in one integrated environment, we are creating a culture of collaboration and high-performance."
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe added: "Following a review of the facility last year, we made a quick decision to invest significantly in the creation of a world-class performance environment for staff and players to reflect our ambition and vision for Manchester United.
"We are delighted with the outcome and are confident the new facility will play an important role in building a winning culture at the club."
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