Ruben Amorim: Man Utd are in a rush to improve and challenge for Premier League titles

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says he is “in a rush” for his team to improve and challenge again for Premier League titles.

The Portuguese was quizzed on the topic ahead of facing reigning league champions Manchester City in Sunday’s Manchester derby, live on Sky Sports.

Media reports in February said the club’s hierarchy had unveiled a plan named ‘Mission 21’, which is aimed at helping the club win their 21st league title by 2028.

But Amorim is hoping for success before then and is already hoping to see marked improvements by next season, which begins in just over four months.

He told a pre-match press conference: “I understand, but I’m not naïve. I don’t want to think we need a lot of years to be competitive. I can’t think like that, I cannot manage that, it’s not in me. That’s why I’m putting pressure on myself.

“I know we won’t be the biggest challengers in the next year or two years. We are changing a lot of things inside the club and we know it will take a lot of time, but I will not say I need a lot of years.

“Next year is our goal. I’m not saying we’re going to win the title in the next year, I’m not crazy.

“I’m saying I don’t want this conversation that we need a lot of years and let’s keep it calm – no, we are in a rush. We are suffering a lot for next year to be so much better.

“I don’t want to be the guy that is sitting here saying we need a lot of time. I will not be that coach.

“All the teams, they are already in a place where we need a lot to catch them and they will improve again next season. I want to focus on our strengths and then use our club to try and bring in one or two big players in.

“I cannot manage saying in three years, we still try something. For me, we will start next season. We need to be so much better because this is a massive club and I want to put that pressure on me and everybody here.”

Amorim: I’m more focused on Man Utd problems – not Man City’s

It will be the first home Manchester derby for Amorim on Sunday, but he has already bested Pep Guardiola’s team this season.

Man Utd were 2-1 winners in December’s Premier League meeting thanks to a late Amad Diallo goal. It came in the middle of a poor run of form for Man City in which they won just one game in 13 outings across all competitions.

When asked if he felt Man City had recovered since then, Amorim replied: “I’m more focused on our problems. We have bigger problems than Man City.

“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 became the first manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to win his first Manchester derby, but said it was not his best moment at the club so far.

He added: “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.”