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Amorim's tenure at Old Trafford was widely regarded as a major disappointment. By any measure, his results stands out for all the wrong reasons. During the contemporary football age, not a single Man Utd boss has recorded a lower points average, nor secured a final position as poor as 15th place. Delving further back, you have to revisit the manager Frank O'Farrell in the early seventies to find a United boss who lost a higher percentage of fixtures. Additionally, he notoriously carved a niche in United's annals by experiencing a loss in a final to Spurs, particularly the current iteration of Tottenham.

The game, however, is seldom so straightforward. Despite the negative press of his favored system, he leaves behind a squad in a significantly improved condition than that which he inherited. In a prior match this term, following a win against Brighton & Hove Albion, Danny Welbeck relayed that fellow players were praising United as the finest side they had encountered in some time. Their performance in a thrilling four-all stalemate with AFC Bournemouth was both encouraging and exciting.

While it is hard to contest the dismissal—particularly given it was reportedly caused by his remarks regarding superiors with more miserable records—his downfall was finally hampered by awful fortune. If fitness issues for key players not occurred alongside the unavailability of other essential figures, he could still be in the position—perhaps succeeding.

Fletcher Takes the Reins

Consequently, Fletcher takes over a reasonably stable state of affairs. Key players like Mount, Bruno Fernandes, and Mainoo are now fit, while Amad Diallo and Mbeumo will in the near future be back from the Afcon. Just prudent management of this gifted squad is expected to be sufficient to guarantee a fifth-place finish and, with it, continental football for next season—in all likelihood in the elite European Cup.

The Clarets' Daunting Test

Burnley, however, won't be a pushover. Although having only a dozen points and having lost 3 of their last five games, their performances have often been stronger than the outcomes show. Manager Scott Parker will undoubtedly have his squad pumped up to take the game to United who are likely to field an lineup that has not had time to gel, set up in a formation they have been denied for more than a year.

Start time: 8:15 in the evening GMT.