Manchester

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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It emerged this week that Manchester United board member Sir Dave Brailsford has told club staff about a 'Mission 21' to go alongside its 'Project 150'.

The idea is to tie in a 21st league title with the celebrations to mark Manchester United's 150th anniversary in 2028.

On current evidence, getting that figure in the space of three years is going to be a tough task.

Head coach Ruben Amorim knows the demands of the club, without even needing to go into specifics around if he has been told about 'Mission 21' or 'Project 150' in the discussions he had with the club's chiefs before taking the job.

But he can offer no guarantees about achieving it.

"I said from day one our focus is to win the Premier League," he said. "But I don't know how long it will take.

"We are in a difficult situation but we can change everything in a few years."

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Eddie Howe says Manchester City are still setting "the benchmark" in the Premier League, despite recording 12 defeats in their past 24 games.

The Newcastle boss believes his team will need to produce "their best performance" in order to take points from their trip to Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

"I don't think you can necessarily look at their form over that period of time," Howe said. "I think you have to look at it over a much longer period of time.

"They have been sensational for so many seasons, which is so difficult to do at this level because of the standard of the other teams.

"You never know what is going to happen when you go to any stadium in the Premier League now, so I think that is producing something very interesting this year - but Manchester City are a good team.

"Statistically, they have been very strong at home. They are still the benchmark for me and we will have to produce our best performance to try to get something from this match."

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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim believes he has "bigger pressure" on him than Tottenham counterpart Ange Postecoglou.

The pair come face to face on Sunday in a mid-table Premier League battle with both teams struggling for consistency this season amid injuries and poor form.

Despite this, both managers have insisted on sticking with their footballing philosophies and received criticism for doing so.

"I am a huge fan of Ange Postecoglou. I am from a different culture. All the Portuguese coaches can adapt," Amorim said.

"I adapt. I use one system because I believe if you do that system, you can then use other systems at the same time - that is my idea.

"But, we are not winning games and I understand the connection with me and Ange - we have the same problems. With all due respect, I am at a bigger club, with bigger pressure. It is important for a coach to follow his principles.

"Of course [I have sympathy with him], especially because he is a good guy, a good coach and he wants to play football in the right way.

"When we choose this profession there is a lot of good things, but then you feel that pressure when you don't win."

Postecoglou, meanwhile, backed the United head coach, who replaced Erik ten Hag earlier in the season, to improve the Manchester club.

"I have respect for all managers because I know how tough it is to do the job. Ruben is just doing what he wants to do," the Spurs boss said.

"Manchester United have scouted him and identified him by looking at the way he does business. You bring him in with a purpose.

"If United stick with Ruben for two years then they will see progress - absolutely, because it's how long it takes.

"If anyone believes anything can change in a short space of time, they are living in a alternative universe that is not based on reality."

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Earlier, we asked you to name the former Manchester United manager from a series of clues.

The answer was David Moyes, who was in charge between 2013 and 2014.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United's match at Tottenham will retain some of its usual stature because of their status - but a glance at the Premier League table means it should also be an embarrassment to both clubs.

A fixture that is usually fought out near the top has been reduced to a lower mid-table clash that is a graphic illustration of the struggles both have had.

United head coach Ruben Amorim acknowledged they got a huge slice of luck when Harry Maguire's clearly offside goal gave them victory in the FA Cup fourth round against Leicester City at Old Trafford.

Amorim, with the brutal honesty that has become his trademark, admitted United were "poor", even in advancing to the next round, where they will host Fulham.

He will be hoping to take advantage of Spurs' own woes, but first United must deal with their own difficulties since Amorim arrived.

These include a struggle to adapt to his preferred three-man defensive system and such a chronic lack of quality up front that he preferred to use teenage midfielder Kobbie Mainoo there in preference to expensive strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in United's last league game, a 2-0 home defeat by Crystal Palace.

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Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game at Tottenham (kick-off 16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Amorim would not reveal names but confirmed they "don't have players back" because of setbacks and there are "one or two issues", alongside one player suffering with illness.

• On the importance of game against 14th-placed Tottenham: "Every game from now until the end of the season is a big game for us. We need to improve the way we play football - but especially we need to win. No matter what, we need to win and to do that we need to improve the way we play football."

• The United boss said he is "a huge fan of Ange Postecoglou" and admitted they "have the same problems", but added: "With all due respect, I am at a bigger club, with bigger pressure. It is important for a coach to follow his principles."

• On whether he and the team feel that pressure: "I feel it in the performance. Sometimes when we are a bit the underdog - and that is a bit we should not feel in any game because we are Manchester United - I feel the players are more free. We have to be more dominant in every aspect and I feel we are not there. Sometimes the feeling is different when you play away."

• On whether it is dangerous to feel "safe" at this stage of the season: "It is impossible. If you see the table, it is impossible to feel comfortable in this moment."

• He added: "We just want to win and to improve our performance because we are Manchester United. We are always talking about the same thing. We need to win the next game, we need to improve, we need to perform better. There is no comfort in any situation in this club."

• Amid reports of more redundancies at the club, Amorim said his "biggest problem now is Tottenham". However, he added: "I have to understand all these problems but that problem of our club is not new. We already knew all the rules of [financial] fair play. We have a problem at the moment, but that cannot change the way I coach the team and prepare the team."

Full commentary of Tottenham v Man Utd on BBC Radio 5 Live from 16:30 on Sunday

Follow all Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Yet another significant injury for Manchester City as Manuel Akanji faces up to 10 weeks on the sidelines.

So how will Pep Guardiola shuffle his defensive options? Who is ready to step up?

And will it be enough to fulfill City's remaining ambitions this season?

Tell us here

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Newcastle (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Manuel Akanji is out for "eight-to-10 weeks" with an abductor injury and will have surgery on Saturday.

• On Akanji's injury stretching his defensive options further: "I just wish him a speedy recovery because the effort he has put in this season has been unbelievable. Him and Nathan [Ake] have played in difficult conditions. There has been a lack of players in that position and his body has said enough is enough."

• Guardiola is also doubtful Jack Grealish will be available after being being forced off against Real Madrid on Tuesday, but he will be assessed later on Friday.

• On new signing Nico Gonzalez, who was withdrawn on his debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup last Saturday: "Day by day, he is getting better. He will also be assessed in a few hours."

• He said "the hours and day after a defeat are difficult" but going forward his side "have to be better."

• Assessing what it is that City are struggling with at the moment: "It's not one subject - if it was then it would be easy to solve it. We have always been so comfortable with the ball and now we are not so. You then have to rely on a physical presence and our physicality is not like other teams."

• He said they "have made some steps backwards compared to the progress made in previous seasons" but they have to maintain their belief and exploit home advantage on Saturday.

• On opponents Newcastle: "They always have been [a difficult side] since Eddie Howe took over. They have good form and unbelievable pace. It's a credit to them."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Full commentary of Manchester City v Newcastle on BBC Radio 5 Live from 15:00 GMT on Saturday

Name this former Manchester United manager from the following clues:

• I spent more than a decade with my previous club before taking charge at Old Trafford;

• My spell as United boss lasted less than a year;

• I was made an OBE in the recent New Year honours list.

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

Manchester United are tracking 22-year-old Ipswich Town forward Liam Delap. (Athletic - subscription required), external

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