A chance for Manchester United’s players to impress, an audition for Iraola and a pivotal clash at Portman Road

Dilemmas, dilemmas. Eddie Howe has a few in advance of Arsenal’s visit to Tyneside on Saturday as Newcastle aim to correct a run of five league games without a win. Wednesday’s restorative Carabao Cup victory against Chelsea has surely created competition for places, particularly at right-back where Emil Krafth’s strong performance suggests he should arguably start in front of Tino Livramento. Significantly, with Bruno Guimarães benched for most of the evening, Sandro Tonali shone at the heart of midfield. Is now the moment to leave the Italy international in the centre and relocate Guimarães to Tonali’s right or even start the Brazil midfielder on the bench again? Similarly Joe Willock, once of Arsenal, impressed on the left of that department, pressing well and carrying the ball considerable distances. Can Newcastle’s manager afford to drop Willock? Then there’s Lloyd Kelly who did very well on a rare left-sided central defensive outing. Should Kelly get the nod ahead of Dan Burn? Dilemmas … Louise Taylor

Newcastle v Arsenal, Saturday 12.30pm

Bournemouth v Manchester City, 3pm Saturday

Liverpool v Brighton, Saturday 3pm

Ipswich v Leicester, Saturday 3pm

Southampton v Everton, Saturday 3pm

Manchester United’s interim manager has a chance to impress new regime before he steps back or exits the club

Ruud van Nistelrooy is once again the focal point at Manchester United, almost two decades after ending a five-year spell leading the line. The boots were hung up long ago and he has swapped the famous red shirt for a tunic and long coat but it is like the old days as the Old Trafford fans elongate his first name.

“Ruuuuuuuud” was the chant when he left the tunnel to take charge of his first match, leading United to a much-needed 5-2 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester. Van Nistelrooy’s side laid down a marker but with Chelsea’s visit on Sunday and a first Europa League win of the season required against Paok four days later, the Dutchman knows this is not a busman’s holiday even for someone who has maintained his hero status despite an acrimonious exit in 2006.

Ruben Amorim spoke to the press before Sporting's game against Estrela on Friday. The Sporting manager will replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford after Manchester United triggered the €10m (£8.3m) release fee for the 39-year-old along, adding somewhere in the region of €1m to shorten his 30-day notice period. Amorim said: 'After the game tomorrow, we will have a decision made.'

• Amorim aims to ‘prove something’ at Manchester United after agreeing deal

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Lucy Ward and Jordan Jarrett-Bryan to round up the League Cup and look ahead to this weekend’s Premier League fixtures

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On the podcast today; Manchester City’s first defeat of the season comes at Spurs. The panel debate whether Ange Postecoglou should be all in on the cup competitions.

• Extra paid to Sporting on top of release clause
• Head coach’s first game set to be on 24 November

Rúben Amorim will be the new Manchester United head coach after agreeing a deal to join from Sporting on a contract to 2027 but will not start until November’s international break.

United are paying the €10m (£8.3m) release fee for the 39-year-old and about another €1m to shorten his 30-day notice period. Amorim will remain with Sporting for their next three fixtures, including the visit of Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday, and his first United match is set to be the trip to Ipswich on 24 November.

• Dutchman oversaw win against Leicester as caretaker
• Rúben Amorim expected to take over as new manager

Ruud van Nistelrooy wants to stay on at Manchester United as part of Rúben Amorim’s coaching staff, or that of whoever succeeds Erik ten Hag as the new permanent manager.

As United’s caretaker manager, Van Nistelrooy oversaw a 5-2 ­Carabao Cup victory against Leicester at Old Trafford on Wednesday, having been promoted from his ­assistant position under Ten Hag.

Dominant win over Leicester lifts mood after Ten Hag’s sacking but tougher tests await next permanent manager

Maybe there was something in Erik ten Hag’s claim that Manchester United were not receiving any luck in the final weeks as his tenure came to a stumbling end. Where VAR went against his team at West Ham, it was absent to prevent against Leicester, while the woodwork and deflections were working in their favour. Fortune favoured United on Wednesday but the team is in flux and requires clarity on what comes next.

It had been clear for far too long that change was required to lift the mood and United have experience of having a legend come in to revitalise a club stumbling and desperate to avoid hitting the canvas. The crowd had known for a long time things were not working out for Ten Hag; even when victories were found, it felt like a placebo rather than a cure to the ailments but at least Leicester eased the pain.

Ruud van Nistelrooy may never lead Manchester United in cup competition again, so ending on the right end of a 5-2 goal-fest as the interim manager can warm him in his dotage.

Two from Casemiro – the opener a screamer – and Bruno Fernandes plus one from Alejandro Garnacho wipes away the dog-days gloom of Erik ten Hag’s tenure, and is an apt gift to Rúben Amorim should he be in place for Chelsea’s visit on Sunday.

• Updates from Wednesday’s fourth-round ties
• Tottenham v Manchester City – live
• Live scoreboard: tonight’s latest | Email Tim

Newcastle (probable 4-3-3) Pope; Krafth, Schar, Kelly, Hall; Tonali, Longstaff, Joelinton; Willock, Isak, Gordon.

Subs: Dubravka, Livramento, Burn, Alex Murphy, Guimaraes, Almiron, Miley, Barnes, Osula.

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Relatively unknown outside his native country? Tick. Domestic success in a league to which few if any English fans pay much attention? Tick. A proven ability to improve young players in his charge so the club can move them on for inflated fees? Tick. A reputation for playing attractive football on the front foot? Tick. As the assorted qualities Rúben Amorim is expected to bring to Manchester United when his appointment is finalised continue to be talked up, Football Daily can’t help but notice that the only obvious difference between the Sporting manager and the hapless Dutchman he is being brought in to replace is a full head of thick, dark hair.

Sporting head coach Rúben Amorim confirmed that the decision on his future lay with him amid interest from Manchester United. 'There is an interest from Manchester United, there is a release clause and then, when there is something more concrete, I will come here to assume my decision because at the end it is my decision, but as I haven’t taken any decision yet it is not worth talking about it', the Portuguese manager said. He added 'We have to wait a little bit more to explain everything I need to explain. It will be very clear'. Amorim said he expects to still be in Lisbon on Sunday, when United hosts Chelsea in the Premier League, but when pressed he laughed and said 'I don't know'

• Manchester United’s pursuit of Amorim held up by 30-day notice period

• United want him in place for Chelsea’s visit on Sunday
• Negotiations held with Sporting in search for solution

Manchester United’s push to appoint Rúben Amorim as their manager is being held up by negotiations with Sporting regarding his 30-day notice period.

United have informed the Portuguese champions of an intent to pay Amorim’s €10m (£8.3m) release clause and want him in place for Sunday’s visit of Chelsea but this may not be possible unless there is a breakthrough in discussions.

Portuguese built his name on consistency and charisma but can he transfer his watchwords to the Theatre of Dreams?

The parallels are there and Manchester United have certainly considered them. Few managers go into a club during the season when everything is rosy but, even by the low standards of the trade, Rúben Amorim’s arrival at Sporting in March 2020 stood out.

The Lisbon giants were at a horribly low ebb. Fourth in the Primeira Liga, 20 points off the leaders, Porto, they were on to their fourth manager of the season and their previous title from 2001-02 was a speck in the rearview mirror.

No more than a handful of the players at Old Trafford would be considered for selection across town at the Etihad

Erik ten Hag is culled while players paid millions to realise Manchester United’s on-field product remain, posting heartfelt “thank you boss” farewells on social media while still collecting their lucrative pay-packets.

It will remain ever so, but to gauge how culpable the squad are for Ten Hag’s sacking, United sinking to 14th place in the Premier League and 21st in the Europa League, a simple question can suffice: how many of the listing group left behind by the fifth post-Sir Alex Ferguson manager removed by the club would Pep Guardiola take for his supreme Manchester City XI?

• Club release statement to market commission
• Reserve team coach João Pereira ready to take over

Sporting have confirmed that Manchester United have made an approach for their head coach, Rúben Amorim. In a statement to the Securities Market Commission (CMVM) in Lisbon on Tuesday they said the Premier League club “had expressed an interest” in hiring the 39-year-old and that United are prepared to pay the release clause of €10m (£8.3m).

Earlier in the day, United’s hopes of appointing Amorim increased with Sporting agreeing a deal with João Pereira to take over from the 39-year-old should he leave.

Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, Ali Maxwell, Sanny Rudravajala and Andy Mittento discuss Erik ten Hag’s departure

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On the podcast today: Andy Mitten from United We Stand joins us for part one to dissect Erik Ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United. Where did it all go wrong and where do they go from here?

• Rúben Amorim has indicated he wants to take the job
• Books need balancing if more lavish spending targeted

Rúben Amorim or whoever succeeds Erik ten Hag as Manchester United’s manager will have a limited budget to strengthen the squad in January.

After Ten Hag was backed in the summer with a £200m spend on five players – Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Noussair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte – there is only modest finance to try to turn around the side’s fortunes in the winter window.

Our resident cartoonist on the weekend’s Premier League action and the latest developments at Old Trafford

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Club’s preferred candidate has a stellar reputation but rebuilding incoherent squad and culture is an almighty task

At least there isn’t a recent example of Manchester United gazumping Manchester City to sign a 30-something Portuguese and it turning into an expensive farrago. The Sporting manager, Rúben Amorim, had been heavily touted to join City next summer should Pep Guardiola decide to stand down, particularly after the club’s director of football, Hugo Viana, was named as the successor to Txiki Begiristain at the Etihad Stadium.

On Monday, though, Amorim emerged as the preferred candidate to replace Erik ten Hag after the Dutchman was dismissed.

In sacking the Dutchman Ineos has gone full Woodward – those in charge are either incompetent or cowardly. Or both

It was about half an hour after the final whistle at the FA Cup final when I had my exchange with Sir Jim Ratcliffe. He was still in the royal box at Wembley, savouring the win against Manchester City. And I managed to worm my way past security to get close enough to shout at him.

To his credit, he came over and shook my hand, though he said nothing when I implored him: “Don’t sack Ten Hag!”