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The former manager's spell at the Red Devils was widely regarded as a major disappointment. Looking at the numbers, his record stands out for all the wrong factors. In the contemporary football age, no United manager has recorded a worse points return, nor achieved a standing as disappointing as 15th in the table. Delving further back, you have to go back to Frank O'Farrell in 1972 to find a Red Devils' gaffer who was defeated in a greater proportion of fixtures. Furthermore, he infamously secured a place in club lore by suffering a loss in a final to Tottenham Hotspur, specifically the current iteration of Spurs.

Football, however, is seldom so black and white. Despite the criticism of his 3-4-2-1 formation, Amorim leaves behind a squad in a significantly improved state than the one he found. Months ago, following a victory over Brighton, Danny Welbeck relayed that fellow players were hailing their opponents as the most impressive opposition they had faced in a while. The performance in a breathtaking high-scoring tie with AFC Bournemouth was equally encouraging and exciting.

Although it is tough to contest the decision to sack him—especially given it was reportedly sparked by his comments about bosses with more miserable histories—Amorim's demise was ultimately stymied by terrible fortune. Had injuries to vital stars not occurred alongside the unavailability of other pivotal individuals, he could still be in the role—perhaps thriving.

Fletcher Takes the Reins

Therefore, Fletcher steps into a relatively positive scenario. Important players like Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo are available again, while Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo will soon be back from the Afcon. Merely prudent management of this talented squad is expected to be enough to guarantee a finish in the European spots and, with it, European competition for next season—probably in the prestigious Champions League.

The Clarets' Daunting Challenge

Vincent Kompany's team, though, won't roll over. Even with boasting only twelve points and suffering defeats in three of their last five outings, their showings have frequently been stronger than the scorelines suggest. Head coach Scott Parker will surely have his squad pumped up to attack United who are set to play an XI that has never played together, set up in a setup they have not used for a year or more.

Start time: 20:15 GMT.