“Not possible…” Pep Guardiola offers Rúben Amorim huge boost ahead of Manchester Derby

Pep Guardiola has offered Rúben Amorim a huge boost as Manchester United look towards their Premier League clash against Man City this weekend.

Rúben Amorim‘s era as Manchester United‘s head coach is getting underway, with the 39-year-old having managed fives games since he joined the club last month.

They have won two games, drawn another, but back-to-back losses have thrown Amorim right in the deep end of the English domestic season, with games coming thick and fast.

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While the next tie is a Europa League clash against Czech side FC Viktoria Plzeň, the head coach will no doubt have half an eye on the looming Manchester Derby set to take place at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

City have also been struggling for form, having won just one of their last nine results across all competitions.

Guardiola’s boost for Amorim

Despite their terrible run of results, City will still go into Sunday’s much-anticipated fixture as favourites, but Citizen boss Pep Guardiola has handed Amorim a boost ahead of the tie.

Many of Guardiola’s current issues stem from an injury crisis in defence, and the Spaniard has explained that he does not think any of their current injured crop will return to face either Juventus or United this week.

“We don’t have players to come back [against Juventus]. The solution is give me players back and to do it,” he said following their draw against Crystal Palace. “But it’s not possible right now and I think it isn’t going to happen for a long time.

“The reality is I will have few players to rotate in this type of period. When we arrive in the treble season and domestic treble it was because everyone was there.

“We have [on the bench], except [James] McAtee, Jack [Grealish] and Jeremy [Doku] the other ones were from the academy. And it’s going to happen for the next games, the next three weeks, one month it’s going to happen the same.”

City’s current injury list

City currently have seven stars unavailable through injury, with another not able to face United due to suspension.

Defenders Manuel Akanji, John Stones, and Nathan Ake are all thought to be out until later this month, while midfielder Phil Foden is absent through illness, and Rodri is set to miss the season with a cruciate ligament injury.

Forward Oscar Bobb will not return until early January, With Matteo Kovacic not expected back until alter this month.

Following his red card last weekend, Rico Lewis will also miss the Derby due to suspension.

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