Jim Ratcliffe compares Ruben Amorim to Mikel Arteta: Key stats
What's the story
Manchester United's minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has asked fans to be patient with under-fire head coach Ruben Amorim. He compared Amorim's early struggles to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's difficult start at the North London club. "Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years," Ratcliffe said on The Business podcast, adding that "football is not overnight."
Early struggles
Ratcliffe draws Arteta parallel
Ratcliffe pointed to Arteta's tough start as Arsenal manager, saying he had a "miserable time." However, the Spaniard turned things around and has since established Arsenal as regular contenders for the Premier League title. This raises questions about whether Amorim is on a similar path toward long-term success with Manchester United.
Performance analysis
Arteta and Amorim after their first 50 matches
As per Sky Sports News, in their first 50 games in charge, Arteta bettered Amorim. Arteta won 27 matches, drew 10 and lost 13. His side scored 79 goals and conceded 48. Meanwhile, Amorim has managed to win only 19 times from his first 50 games as United manager. He has drawn 12 and lost another 19 in this period. Amorim's side has scored 78 goals and conceded a whopping 76. Arsenal kept 18 clean sheets during this period as Amorim's team managed just 8.
Season summaries
League position and cup runs
Both managers reached cup finals at the end of their first seasons. However, Arteta led Arsenal to FA Cup glory, while Amorim's United lost in the Europa League final against Spurs. In terms of league position, Arsenal improved slightly under Arteta in his first season but finished eighth—their lowest since 1992/93—while United ended up 15th with a record-low points total of 42 under Amorim.