Ruben would love revenge for 5-0 thrashing by Pep

RUBEN AMORIM has been handed the kind of farewell script that will become either a fairy tale or a nightmare.

- JERRY CROSS

Having agreed to take charge of Manchester United, Amorim will take on their hated neighbours in one of his final acts as Sporting Lisbon manager.

The chance to beat Pep Guardiola, one of the coaches he has idolised, and prove why United were right to make him their unanimous choice to replace Erik ten Hag.

Amorim and Guardiola will find themselves locked in more duels in the future.

But it is this one in the Portuguese capital tonight which gives Amorim the golden opportunity to put down a serious marker.

To earn some genuine respect from United supporters and Guardiola himself at the first opportunity.

Lose, however, and there will be immediate doubts from the United faithful that another managerial gamble has been taken on someone who will go on to find himself out of his depth at Old Trafford.