Ruben Amorim Addresses Manchester United Lineup Leaks

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has addressed the ongoing issue of team lineup leaks at the club after the starting XI for the Manchester derby was revealed a full 17 hours before kick-off.

Amorim’s side pulled off a thrilling comeback to secure a 2-1 victory against Manchester City, with late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo overturning Josko Gvardiol’s first-half strike.

Manchester United Lineup Leaks

Leaks of United’s lineups have been a recurring theme throughout the last few seasons, causing concern about the potential competitive disadvantage it poses.

Against City, Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News accurately reported Amorim’s lineup hours before the match.

After the match, Amorim openly admitted that stopping these leaks is very difficult in today’s football world.

“I know that story. I don’t know, I think it’s impossible to fix nowadays because you have a lot of people in the club, the players talk with agents,” Amorim said.

“I don’t know, you can talk with friends, so it’s hard to know. It’s not a good thing, but let’s move on and go to the next one and see if they find the next starting XI.”

The leaks have also fuelled speculation and finger-pointing among fans and pundits. Certain players have been accused on social media of being the source, though no concrete evidence has emerged.

"It's not a good thing."

Ruben Amorim says Manchester United's team leaks are "impossible to fix".#MUFC pic.twitter.com/1Rjd4EhNrS

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 16, 2024

Manchester Derby Victory: A Turning Point?

Despite the distraction, United managed to secure an important win over their city rivals at the Etihad Stadium.

The victory marked a return to form in the Premier League after back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest.

Amorim will take encouragement from his team’s fighting spirit but will undoubtedly be concerned about the ongoing leaks and their potential impact on preparations for future matches.

The Red Devils are now set to face Tottenham in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Thursday.

For now, Amorim’s focus will be on building momentum after the morale-boosting derby win while working behind the scenes to address the leaks.