MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said he does not intend to resign but acknowledged that positive results are crucial to keeping his position at Old Trafford, as pressure mounts following a woeful start to the season.
United are already out of the League Cup after a shock second-round defeat to English fourth-tier side Grimsby Town and failed to qualify for European football following last season’s disappointing 15th-place finish.
The scrutiny on Amorim has intensified this campaign as his side sits 14th in the Premier League table, eight points behind leaders Liverpool, with just seven points from six matches.
The 40-year-old Portuguese, who has overseen nine wins, 17 defeats and seven draws in his 33 league games in charge, spoke to reporters ahead of Saturday’s home game against high-flying promoted side Sunderland: “No, that is a decision of the board. I cannot do that (resign).
“Sometimes I have that feeling and losing is hard, not to create the momentum. It’s so frustrating when you create the momentum, go to the next game, something happens. That feeling sometimes hurts me a lot. Also the players and especially the staff here.
“But that is not my decision and I think it would be really hard to leave if I don’t do everything to follow my career here.
“It’s a dream to be here and I want to continue here and I want to fight for this. But the problem is now what makes me suffer is to lose games, not to lose my job. You fear to lose your job when you have to pay the bills and I don’t have that feeling.”
Amorim said he is not “naive” about the precarious nature of his position at a club of United’s stature.
“We understand that we need results to continue the project. We will reach a point that is impossible for everyone because this is a very big club with a lot of sponsors, with two owners. So it’s hard, the balance is really hard,” he added.
Amorim won’t resign but says results key to keep Man United job
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Amorim won’t resign but says results key to keep Man United job
- The 40-year-old Portuguese, who has overseen nine wins, 17 defeats and seven draws in his 33 league games in charge, spoke to reporters ahead of Saturday’s home game
Luka Doncic, LeBron James lead Lakers past 76ers in return to lineup
- Doncic posted a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists
- Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren scored 25 points each as Oklahoma City tied a franchise record with their 15th straight win over Utah in Salt Lake City
NEW YORK: Luka Doncic and LeBron James combined for 60 points in their return to the lineup as the Los Angeles Lakers topped the host Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 on Sunday night.
Both missed the first two games of this road trip, Doncic due to the birth of his second daughter and James with back and foot injuries. James scored five straight points after Philadelphia tied the game at 105 with 1:29 left to create separation.
Doncic posted a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. He only shot 9-of-24 from the field, but James was an efficient 12-of-17 for 29 points, while adding seven rebounds and six assists.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Joel Embiid added 16 points for the Sixers but shot just 4-of-21 from the floor.
Thunder 131 Jazz 101
Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren scored 25 points each as Oklahoma City tied a franchise record with their 15th straight win over Utah in Salt Lake City.
Despite being without reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time this season along with two other starters, the Thunder dominated from the start. Oklahoma City shot 58 percent from the field and was 21 of 42 from beyond the arc.
Kyle Filipowski led the Jazz with 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting with 10 rebounds. Walter Clayton Jr. and Taylor Hendricks scored 20 points each off the bench.
Knicks 106 Magic 100
Jalen Brunson scored eight points during a decisive run to open the second half for New York, which earned a 106-100 win over Orlando after the visitors lost forward Franz Wagner to a lower leg injury.
Brunson finished with 30 points and nine assists and Josh Hart (17 points, 12 rebounds) posted a double-double for the Knicks, who overcame the absence of Karl-Anthony Towns (left calf) to close out a perfect three-game homestand and improve to 13-1 at home.
Anthony Black (14 points, 11 rebounds) recorded a double-double off the bench for the Magic, who lost for only the fourth time in 14 games. Jalen Suggs scored 17 points while Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane had 16 apiece.
Celtics 121 Raptors 113
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Derrick White added 27 and visiting Boston held off Toronto for their fifth straight win.
Payton Pritchard scored 15 points for the Celtics, who have won 10 of 12. Neemias Queta had 11 points and 11 rebounds while Anfernee Simons scored 12.
Brandon Ingram scored 30 for the Raptors, who have dropped three straight. Scottie Barnes added 18 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, helping erase a 23-point deficit early in the second half before Boston used a late surge to come out on top.
Nuggets 115 Hornets 106
Jamal Murray had a huge opening stretch en route to 34 points and Nikola Jokic joined the production with 28 points and 11 assists as Denver defeated host Charlotte.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 14 points and Peyton Watson added 10 as the Nuggets improved to 11-2 in road games. They’ve won 10 straight away from home, aided by shooting 51.8 percent from the field against Charlotte.
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 24 points, Brandon Miller posted 17, KJ Simpson poured in 16 and Kon Knueppel chipped in with 14. Liam McNeeley contributed 13 off the bench for the Hornets, who have lost three of their last four games.
Grizzlies 119 Trail Blazers 96
Santi Aldama came off the bench to score 22 points and Kentavious Caldwell- Pope and Jaylen Wells added 16 apiece to lead Memphis to a victory over visiting Portland.
The Grizzlies won for the fifth time in six games and recorded back-to-back home wins for the first time this season. Aldama and Caldwell-Pope were part of the Memphis bench that produced 69 points, along with Jock Landale (15 points, eight rebounds) and Cam Spencer (12 points, six assists). Starter Zach Edey had 12 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.
Portland was held to fewer than 100 points for only the second time this season. The Trail Blazers, who lost for the fifth time in six games, were led by Jerami Grant with 21 points and seven rebounds. Deni Avdija added 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.
Warriors 123 Bulls 91
Visiting Golden State sank 22 threes — their second most of the season — and never trailed in a 123-91 slamming of Chicago.
The Warriors played without Steph Curry (quad), Draymond Green (foot) and Al Horford (sciatica), but looked smooth from the start. Seven Warriors made threes as the visitors finished 22-of-47 (46.8 percent) from behind the arc. Brandin Podziemski came off the bench, sank five threes and finished with a game-high 21 points. Quinten Post had five threes and 19 points. Jimmy Butler had two 3-pointers and also had 19.
Josh Giddey led the Bulls with 18 points and five assists, and Matas Buzelis tallied 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting.
