Richards makes Man Utd transfer window prediction as he likens them to ‘a fizzy drink’
Former Man City defender Micah Richards doubts Man Utd will buy the players Ruben Amorim wants in the January transfer window.
The Red Devils made a disappointing start to life under new boss Amorim after Man Utd appointed the Portuguese coach to take over from Erik ten Hag at the beginning of this month.
His first match in charge on Sunday ended in a 1-1 draw against relegation-battlers Ipswich Town with Amorim’s side moving up to 12th in the Premier League table with the point.
Marcus Rashford scored inside the first two minutes to give Amorim’s side a perfect start but Omari Hutchinson’s long-range strike just before half-time fave the Tractor Boys a share of the spoils against Man Utd.
Man Utd spent around £180m to give Ten Hag five players to improve his team in the summer and there are now doubts as to whether Amorim will be given funds in January as the Red Devils are close to their PSR threshold.
Former Man City defender Richards thought Man Utd were “a bit disappointing” in Amorim’s first match and doubts they will bring in many new players in January.
Richards said on The Rest is Football podcast: “They looked alive, they looked sharp. All the things you thought (would happen). I was getting excited, and then it just went flat.
“I don’t think he is going to get the players he wants in January but I think in the summer we are going to see five or six players come in now. I just believe that. I was a bit disappointing in the showing. That’s not the manager, he needs time to implement his style.
“It was almost like a fizzy drink. I expected so much, they started so well and then it just fizzled out a bit. On another day Ipswich could have scored four or five.”
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Despite the draw, Amorim is determined to introduce his new 3-4-3 formation and tactics on the Man Utd players from the get-go: “They are thinking about too much, because things are so different.
“Some details, they used to pass the ball and go forwards and now they have to go back. These types of things, they have to think too much. [Diogo] Dalot used to do it, he would pass the ball and then go inside and play in midfield. Now he has to stick in this position.
“It is hard for the players in three days to try to cope with everything, but we have two ways: we forget about the new idea – and I think that’s why I was brought here in the middle of the season – and we try to cope with what they are used to doing. And next year, at the same stage, we will be here with the same problems.
“Or we start now, we risk a little bit, we suffer a little bit and next year we will be better at this point. So we have to risk it a little bit.”
