Man Utd star outlines change Ruben Amorim has finally made: 'The message is really clear'

Ruben Amorim has created a 'Fight Club' mentality at Manchester United as he tries to haul them off the canvas following their worst Premier League season. United ended last season in 15th place, their worst league finish for half a century, and missed out on Europe with defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League.

Against that backdrop, battered and bruised Unitedare at their lowest point since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, when he led the club to their last league title. The recovery process began with Amorim exiling five players – Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrrell Malaica - in a 'bomb squad' training away from the main group.

Rashford secured a season-long loan move to Barcelona, with the remaining four left behind as Amorim took his squad on tour of the US to strengthen bonds and continue their rebirth. In the States, United have looked a different team to the rabble of last season, with players looking sharper, hungrier and committed, putting the interests of the team above their own.

Wins over West Ham and Bournemouth, the latter an emphatic 4-1 victory, have suggested United will pack a punch next season, a feeling endorsed by defender Diogo Dalot. “I think straight away it's the connection between the players,” said Dalot.

“I think we're now creating a group that fights for each other. I think that's what we're trying to create. Obviously, there's still a long way to go. I'm not going to say perfect because it's difficult, but that's where we want to go, towards perfection.

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“But obviously, I think you can see straight away, some signs of the team fighting a bit more, having more intensity and that's what we're trying to do. I think Ruben is really good as a manager in terms of trying to take the best out of you.

“He's very clear in his messages that you want to be a part of the team or you cannot be here. If you want to be at Manchester United, you need to match some standards. If you're not able to match it, it's not a place for you. The message is really clear.

“If you started pre-season, it's because he believes that we're the group that needs to come. Obviously, we had players coming in, which is always amazing. You can feel straight away that they match those standards. We're really happy with how things are going, but we're not going to get carried away by the results of what we're doing. It just has to give you motivation that when you do things right, you get the results.”

Despite such a positive pre-season tour as part of the Premier League's Summer Series, Dalot knows United's players cannot afford to get carried away. They have a tough start to the new season, hosting Arsenal in their opening fixture and local rivals Manchester City three games later, then Chelsea and champions Liverpool in quick succession.

But there is a new-found confidence about United in pre-season, boosted by skipper Bruno Fernandes rejecting a lucrative move to the Saudi Pro League and committing himself to the team. “I think it's a clear message that he still believes that this club can go to the places that it should be,” said Dalot.

“I don't think there's a better way of starting a season than your captain staying and believing that this can go in the right direction. It's a clear message for the other team-mates, for everybody, that we have to believe. We have to work really hard to put Manchester United back in the place it deserves.”

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