Ruben Amorim offers another Man Utd reality check with warning over winning title

Ruben Amorim admits it is “crazy” to think are capable of winning the next season. United's hierarchy have launched 'Project 21', with the aim of winning a 21st league title by 2028, the year the club celebrates its 150th anniversary.

Ahead of Sunday's derby at home to , admitted there is no way United can win the title next season – but said he is in a rush to make them champions. “I understand, I'm not naïve,” said Amorim. “I'm not saying we're going to win the title next year, I'm not crazy.

“I don’t want to think we need a lot of years to be competitive, I cannot think like that. That is why I am putting pressure on myself. I know we are not going to be the biggest contender in the next year or two years.

“We're doing a lot of things, putting in some standards and sometimes we change players so they have to adjust to our new standards. I know it's difficult to do that in just one year. I know it's going to take time, but I will not think like that and say 'I need a lot of years'. I cannot manage like that.

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“We're suffering a lot to be a lot better next year and that's our goal. I don’t want to be that guy here saying we need a lot of time.”

Amorim admitted his task of taking United back to the top of English football has been made even harder with City capable of spending £180million on new signings, as they did in the . “Not just Manchester City, but the other teams too,” said Amorim. “They are already in a place where we need to do a lot to catch them up and they will improve again next season.

“I'm more focused on our problems, I think we have bigger problems than Manchester City. They had that run in that moment [when United beat them in December] but they have improved and they can play in different ways.

“They have maybe the best coach in the . They have top players, but I'm so focused on my team and to try to understand how City are going to play.

“But I just want to focus on our strengths and bring in one or two players - big players. We need to focus and we are doing all the stuff to be next season so much better. In my idea, I cannot manage this thing of ‘in four years we will try something’. We need to be so much better now. This is a massive club. The focus must be how to improve our team in every aspect. The Premier League is so difficult.

“I hear a lot of people saying Sir won three or four years to win something - but it's not possible these days, because you have to give three interviews before every game, so the pressure is so much different.

“But we are . There are a lot of good things. No matter the pressure, we have to be there with the other big ones. We have to face a lot of adversity and a lot of big teams, more than in the past.”

Amorim revealed midfielder is ready to return to United's matchday squad after recovering from a muscular injury. “I think Kobbie is returning to training, so we will see, assess him for this game,” said Amorim.

“He cannot play a full game. I think Matthijs De Ligt is an issue, he had something in the game against so we have to assess him.”

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