(Reuters) – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is impressed by the impact new boss Ruben Amorim has had on Manchester United, and expects it to be a beautiful game when the two teams face off in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.
Arsenal handed Amorim his first loss as United manager in a 2-0 Premier League win last month. But United, 13th in the league, have shown sparks of potential in a 2-1 win at Manchester City and last weekend’s 2-2 draw at leaders Liverpool.
“Look at how they perform against the big teams… and the results they got,” Arteta told reporters on Friday.
“I think every manager, when he gets appointed, it’s for a reason. The reasons can be different. Sometimes it’s just to improve a football team… sometimes it’s to transform a football club. That’s a totally different dimension of a job.”
FA Cup holders United, however, lost four straight matches before Sunday’s draw, and have failed to keep a clean sheet in the last nine matches, while Arsenal had scored 13 goals in five matches before Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in the League Cup.
Arteta said it was understandable that Amorim would need some time to get the best out of United.
“It’s tough because obviously you need time to implement your ideas, especially your way of playing, and explaining that. And when you have that many games, it’s tricky,” he said.
Arteta, however, said United had changed as a team since the two sides last clashed over five weeks ago.
“I’m expecting a few different things,” he added.
“It’s a beautiful game to play against a massive club and they will bring lots of supporters. The memory of winning something and sharing it with people is the ultimate goal.”
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
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