Manchester United will be second if they win! Amrabat aims for four consecutive victories to celebrate his first anniversary as manager, with no doubts left.

This Saturday marks the 40-year-old Ruben Amrabat’s first year managing Manchester United, as he leads the team to face Nottingham Forest away. If they defeat this recently struggling opponent, Amrabat will achieve his first four-game winning streak with the Red Devils. He admitted he once questioned whether joining Old Trafford was the right choice, but now he has no doubts.

During Amrabat’s one-year tenure, the longest winning streak was three consecutive wins across all competitions last season. If he wins the match against Forest, he will set a personal record. Moreover, with Manchester City playing Bournemouth and Spurs facing Chelsea this week, a United victory could likely see them return to the top four. At the final whistle, if United win, they will temporarily move up to second place in the Premier League.

Even if only for a few hours, it would be the first time in many years that Manchester United reach such a high ranking mid-season. Since beating West Ham in September 2021, the team has not been in this position again. Ironically, right after that second-place standing, Solskjaer’s managerial career took a sharp downturn and fell into crisis.

Amrabat has already passed through his darkest moments; last month he openly admitted that if the team didn’t start winning, he might be sacked. Unexpectedly, the team has since secured consecutive wins.

Amrabat said, “I’ve thought maybe I shouldn’t have come to Manchester United. Sometimes it’s really hard to bear, especially losing so many matches—it’s difficult for me because this is Manchester United. Last year we were in a terrible situation; all the focus was on the Europa League final, and we didn’t win—it was awful. So yes, I went through a very tough period, and at that time I doubted whether any of this should have happened.”

However, now Amrabat says he no longer worries and believes he made the best decision, intending to stay at Manchester United. “Today, everything is completely different. I genuinely feel—and believe—that this is the best choice I’ve ever made in my life. Therefore, I want to remain here. I trust my players more, and I think they trust me more as well. This mutual trust can bring victories, that’s obvious.”

But Amrabat also warns Manchester United not to become complacent, as results can quickly improve or decline; Liverpool is proof of the latter. “I know the situation could change again in two weeks. People might think the earlier opinions were correct,” Amrabat said. “We’re in a better place now, but we must be mentally prepared because things can change anytime.”

Regarding whether his 3-4-3 formation has proven effective, Amrabat stated, “I clearly know how I want to play. Maybe my approach takes longer for others to fully understand. But what I do is what I believe is best for the team and the club!”

In his year at Manchester United, Amrabat has lost 19 out of 52 matches. Sometimes on the sidelines, he appears quite downcast, crouching or looking up at the sky.

“That’s just my personality,” Amrabat explained with a smile. “I know many want to see me suffer, but I like to do the opposite. From the start, I said nothing can change me—I’ve always lived this way. I know football is always changing, and now we are at a critical moment of transformation. I try to keep life balanced. I laugh a lot and maintain the same mindset no matter the situation. I go with the flow and follow my team. If Manchester United plays well and attacks positively, I’m very happy.”