Lisandro Martinez: Manchester United defender won’t be rushed after return to training

The trip to the City Ground represents the first time Amorim has come up against Sean Dyche since the new Forest boss claimed, earlier in 2025, he would have won more games at United than the former Sporting boss just by using a conventional 4-4-2 formation.

In a podcast conversation with Sam Allardyce, Dyche concurred Amorim had been lucky to survive the wretched form that resulted in United finishing 15th in the Premier League last season.

“They keep talking about the philosophy but it isn’t working,” said Dyche, at the point where United had taken 27 points from 28 league games.

“I bet I could win more games just by going to 4-4-2. I might be wrong because in the summer they might bring in three big hitters. But it is Man United. You wouldn’t normally survive in that situation.”

When those comments were put to Amorim in his press conference looking ahead to the Forest game, the 40-year-old said he understood why Dyche had said it.

“Maybe it’s true if we play 4-4-2 we would have won more games but I always said I have a way of playing that is going to take a while,” he countered.

“But then I can look at Sean Dyche as a manager and as a pundit.

“If you are a pundit and you don’t say very strong things, I don’t want to watch you. I’m the same.

“I can understand it’s a completely different job. I know that Sean Dyche is really smart and he knows how to play the game.”