Amorim under 'bigger pressure' as struggling Spurs & Man Utd meet

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United both face similar predicaments: an idealistic coach under pressure, poor team performance compounded by injuries, a league position closer to the relegation zone than the top four, and increasingly frustrated fans staging protests. Both teams are desperate for a victory to reverse their disappointing season's decline.

This Sunday (16:30 GMT), these two mid-table Premier League teams will face off. Currently, Manchester United sits 14th in the league, with manager Ruben Amorim achieving a record of 10 wins and 8 losses in his 20 games in charge. Meanwhile, Postecoglou's Tottenham is ranked 15th, having earned only 4 points in their last 8 league games and already being eliminated from domestic cup competitions.

One of Tottenham's few highlights this season was a 3-0 away win against Manchester United at Old Trafford, and they also defeated Manchester United 4-3 in the League Cup quarter-finals. Tottenham is unbeaten in their last four Premier League matches against Manchester United (2 wins, 2 draws), with the Red Devils conceding at least two goals in each of those games. Furthermore, the fan group "Change Tottenham" is expected to hold a march and sit-in protest against Tottenham's owner and chairman, Daniel Levy, before Sunday's match.

Regarding each other's struggles, Amorim stated that he is a "big fan" of Postecoglou and expressed "sympathy" for him, "because he's a good guy, a good coach, and he wants to play football in the right way." Amorim added, "But we are not winning games, and I understand the connection between me and Ange – we have the same problems. But with all due respect, I'm managing a bigger club, and the pressure is bigger. It's very important for coaches to stick to their principles."

Postecoglou, in turn, backed the Manchester United manager who replaced Erik ten Hag this season, saying that if the club sticks with Amorim for "two years," they will "absolutely see progress." He said: "Manchester United have looked at him and identified him by watching the way he works. You bring him in with a purpose. We are all result-driven, I understand that. If you are in my position or Ruben's position right now, you are going to be scrutinised – but it doesn't mean you are coaching or managing badly. All management is tough, but I think the Manchester United job even more so."

Amorim also acknowledged that the responsibility for improving the club's financial situation also falls on his team. He stated: "People are losing their jobs, and I think it's very important for us, the first team, the coaches, and the players, not to ignore that. The biggest problem is the football team. We spend money, but we are not winning, and we are not in the Champions League, so the revenue is different. Now we have to be careful with the finances, and we can't rebuild the team as we want. We acknowledge the problem, and we have to change it. The first thing we should do is beat Tottenham. It's a small step in trying to help these people, trying not to push the ticket prices up. We have a responsibility for that."