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Ruben Amorim's tenure at the Red Devils has been labeled a significant disappointment. Looking at the numbers, his performance is notable for all the negative factors. In the modern top-flight period, no United manager has recorded a worse points return, or achieved a league finish as poor as 15th in the table. Examining the archives, you have to return to the manager Frank O'Farrell in 1972 to find a manager at the club who was defeated in a larger share of matches. Moreover, he notoriously etched his name in the team's history by experiencing a final loss to Tottenham Hotspur, namely Ange Postecoglou's version of the North London club.

Football, but, is not often that simple. Regardless of the criticism of his favored system, the Portuguese manager exits a club in a far better state than that which he found. Earlier this season, following a victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, Danny Welbeck relayed that his colleagues were praising United as the best opposition they had encountered in a while. Their play in a thrilling high-scoring tie with Bournemouth was equally promising and thrilling.

Although it is hard to contest the termination—particularly given it was allegedly triggered by his remarks regarding executives with even worse records—Amorim's downfall was ultimately hampered by terrible fortune. Had the absence of vital personnel not happened at the same time as the absence of other essential figures, he might remain in the job—perhaps even.

A New Era Begins

As a result, Fletcher takes over a relatively solid situation. Important figures like Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Mainoo are available again, while Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo will shortly return from the Africa Cup of Nations. Just careful husbandry of this skilled group is expected to be adequate to secure a fifth-place finish and, with it, continental competition for next season—in all likelihood in the coveted European Cup.

Burnley's Formidable Challenge

Vincent Kompany's team, however, won't make things easy. Although boasting only 12 points and suffering defeats in three of their previous five matches, their performances have at times been better than the scorelines suggest. Boss Scott Parker will surely have his squad revved up to get after United who are expected to play an starting eleven that has not had time to gel, arranged in a setup they have not used for a year or more.

Start time: 8:15 in the evening GMT.