Ruben Amorim may have had a rocky start at Manchester United, yet he seems to embody the characteristics Sir Alex Ferguson values in a United manager.

Amorim, aged 40, will lead his struggling United team to Everton on Saturday hoping to halt a run of two Premier League losses in a row. Presently, the Red Devils are 15th, having suffered eight defeats in the first 14 league games of Amorim’s stewardship.

Another reverse at Goodison Park would also be United’s third consecutive Premier League loss, having also been beaten at home to Crystal Palace and away to Tottenham. Positives have been few and far between for Amorim and his team since the Portuguese’s arrival.

Yet, going by Ferguson’s previous comments, it’s likely that the ex-Sporting manager still retains the faith of the legendary United manager.

In Ferguson’s 2015 book ‘Leading’, Ferguson outlined the attributes he insists upon for every United manager. While reflecting on his choice to recommend David Moyes as his successor back in 2013, Ferguson said: “We chose David Moyes. He had been consistent in his job at Everton, had a good spell there – 11 years and showed appetite.”

Following Ferguson’s departure, several high-calibre managers have found it tough to replicate his success, with the likes of Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralf Rangnick, and Erik ten Hag all having attempted to take the reins in the post-Ferguson era.

Despite a challenging start at United, Amorim exhibits all the qualities Ferguson highlighted. Before his move to United, Amorim turned down several offers to leave Sporting and only departed in his fourth season when United presented him with an opportunity too good to refuse.

Amorim was also consistent at Sporting, overthrowing traditional Portuguese champions Benfica and Porto to secure two Primeira Liga titles in four years, while also never finishing below fourth place. While his results have been scrutinised, Amorim’s determination is evident.

His candid press conferences and decision to sideline Marcus Rashford due to training performance show his high expectations of players. However, these traits did not save Moyes from being sacked. The Scotsman was let go after just 10 months, with the club in seventh place at the time.

Similarly, while Ferguson may admire Amorim’s mental attributes, they are not translating into success. United remain in 15th place, with Amorim only registering four Premier League wins so far. One glimmer of hope in Amorim’s campaign is the potential path to the Champions League. United recently secured third place in the Europa League qualification table, propelling them directly into the last 16.

Winning the competition – for which they are currently favourites – would secure their spot in next season’s Champions League. They’re also still in the running for the FA Cup, which presents a route into the Europa League if they can make it all the way to Wembley and win for a second consecutive year.

Regardless, Amorim is in dire need of a Premier League boost, which he hopes will come on the blue side of Merseyside, where he’ll face off against Moyes – the very manager handpicked by Ferguson. Unlike Amorim, Moyes has enjoyed a stellar start since his return to Goodison Park.

After an initial loss to Aston Villa, Moyes has strung together four victories and one draw, the latter being the 2-2 thriller against Liverpool in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park. The Toffees have even leapfrogged United in the league standings, with their recent 2-1 away win over Crystal Palace pushing them up to 14th place.

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our _Privacy Notice.

United’s Adidas home shirt is made up of the same colour of the city’s iconic red rose and features a black collar. The collar also features a dash of both red and white, giving it a slick and modernised look.

Can United mount a title challenge? Get our FREE daily Manchester United email newsletter