Ruben Amorim reveals Guardiola tactics as Man Utd chase treble against Man City

Ruben Amorim reveals “luck” as key to beating Man City, aiming for a historic third win over Guardiola this season.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is on the brink of joining an elite group of coaches who have outwitted Pep Guardiola not once, not twice, but three times in a single season.

Manchester City will be visiting Old Trafford this Sunday and Amorim has the opportunity to become only the third manager to defeat Guardiola thrice in a campaign, following in the footsteps of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jurgen Klopp.

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The Portuguese tactician has already recorded two famous wins over City this term first while in charge of Sporting CP in the Champions League group stage, and then again after switching to Manchester United, where he masterminded a dramatic 2-1 comeback in December at the Etihad Stadium.

Now, with a third encounter looming, Amorim has offered a candid assessment of what it takes to beat Guardiola’s City.

“The secret [to beating City]? Lucky. The first game, with Sporting – we were so lucky. The first half could have been 0-4, and we won 4-1. The second game, I prefer, we won in the second half. They controlled possession a little bit more but we were there fighting with Man City. If I have to tell you one thing, it was maybe luck," he said in an interview with Goal.

Despite the humility in his comments, Amorim’s tactical flexibility and fearless approach have made him a standout figure this season.

Sunday's clash at Old Trafford offers not just bragging rights but a crucial opportunity for United to close the gap in the Premier League and inject momentum into their campaign.

Asked whether City have improved since their December slump, which saw them win just once in 13 matches across all competitions, Amorim chose to stay grounded and inward-looking.

"I'm more focused on our problems. We have bigger problems than Man City," he said as per Sky News.

"They had that run in that moment but they improved. They can play in different ways and it's hard to understand and think how they are going to face us. They have maybe the best coach in the world, they have top players so it will be a difficult match. But I'm so focused on improving our team, I'm not focused on the improvements of Man City."

Amorim made history earlier this season when he became the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to win his debut Manchester derby.

Yet, the 39-year-old is not one to dwell on accolades or singular moments.

"I don't know, it's hard to [say]. Sometimes, I'm really happy with the small things, not with the big things. Here and at other clubs, I don't see one win as a special moment. A special moment is to be really competitive to win titles. Even in the third division, you can win against the best team in the country."

Keeping a close watch on the Premier League table while chasing a place in history, Amorim now stands one game away from joining an elite managerial group. But if you ask him, it’s all just part of the job.