MU News Today August 20: Neville changes his mind; Amorim’s ‘super six’ revealed

Gary Neville applauded MU’s display in their opener versus Arsenal, and the six cornerstones of Amorim’s reign have emerged... These are the notable Manchester United stories for August 20.

LATEST MU NEWS FOR TODAY, AUGUST 20

Ruben Amorim’s six main players come to light

Although Manchester United lost 0-1 to Arsenal in their Premier League opener, manager Ruben Amorim was still pleased with the performances of several key players. According to Express Sport, the Portuguese coach has identified six nearly “irreplaceable” players in his starting lineup, including Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Patrick Dorgu, Mason Mount, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

These players are highly rated for their ability to maintain team shape, create breakthroughs, and keep the balance between attack and defense. In the second round, MU will visit Fulham (24/08), and these six are expected to play a crucial role in the quest for their first win.

Rio Ferdinand reveals his ‘dislike’ for Arsenal legend Ian Wright

In an interview with ESPN, former MU defender Rio Ferdinand surprisingly named the player who bothered him most when facing off: Ian Wright,the Arsenal legend.

Ferdinand recalled a particular incident while playing for West Ham:

“We were about to take a corner, I was marking Wright. He was shorter than me, but kept staring right into my eyes, then suddenly pushed my head. When I reacted, he just laughed. At that moment I thought: I really hate this guy.”

Interestingly, Ian Wright was Ferdinand’s childhood idol, but those on-field antics completely changed his perspective. Besides Wright, Craig Bellamy was also one of the two most annoying opponents for Rio.

Gary Neville changes his prediction, believes MU can succeed like last season’s Chelsea

After the 0-1 defeat to Arsenal, former MU captain Gary Neville unexpectedly revised his view on the Red Devils’ top-four chances.

Previously, Neville only rated MU as capable of fighting for 6th to 8th place, but after witnessing their performance against Arsenal, he believes Amorim’s team has “transformed”.

“Last season, no one believed Chelsea would make the top four after their opener, but when I saw them play Man City, I thought: ‘This team isn’t bad.’ MU is similar now. Even though they lost, they dominated a top-three side. If they keep this up, MU will win plenty of matches.”

Neville feels MU needs to sign a top-class goalkeeper to replace Altay Bayindir after his mistake in the opener. With new signings like Cunha, Mbeumo, Sesko and no European competition, Neville predicts the Red Devils could spring a surprise this season.

Nemanja Matic in talks to return to Serie A after leaving Lyon

Just days after Lyon terminated his contract, former MU midfielder Nemanja Matic is negotiating with Sassuolo, this season’s Serie A newcomers.

According to Sky Sports Italia, Matic’s representatives have met with coach Fabio Grosso and CEO Giovanni Carnevali from Sassuolo to discuss a short-term deal. If successful, Matic will return to Serie A, where he previously played for AS Roma under Jose Mourinho, making 50 appearances.

At 37, Matic still demonstrates experience and control in midfield, promising to be a valuable addition for Sassuolo in their battle to stay up.