JUST IN: RUBEN AMORIM CONFIRMS URGENT MID SEASON TRIP AS UNITED CHASE LUCRATIVE SAUDI REVENUE
Ruben Amorim backs a mid-season trip to the Middle East as fixture changes create a gap in United's schedule.
Word is, Manchester United might head to Saudi Arabia for a friendly to make some extra cash. Their Premier League game against Everton has been moved to February 23, which frees up some time in their schedule. Since they're not in any European competitions this year, United is looking at playing a game during that gap.
Man Utd Thinking About Saudi Trip for Friendly
Because United didn't make it into European football, they've been hoping to set up a friendly match in Saudi Arabia to make some money. Now that the Everton game is set for February 23, this is looking more possible. They play West Ham on February 10, which leaves them with almost two weeks free, according to The Times.
This free time means they could go to Saudi Arabia, and they'd probably bring their main players. But, they'll wait until after their FA Cup game against Brighton before making a final call. If they beat Brighton, they have another game on Saturday, February 14, 2026, which could mess up their plans.
Manager Wants the Friendly
United's coach, Ruben Amorim, seems up for a mid-season friendly. He told reporters earlier that they need to do it to make up for missing out on Europe. He mentioned needing to take care of their fans and budget. He said they'll find the time to make it happen for their fans around the world.
Who Could They Play?
The Times says AC Milan is one possibility since they also have a gap in their schedule and aren't in European football.
There's also buzz about United playing against Cristiano Ronaldo, who plays for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. A game against him could give United's finances a boost.
Ronaldo recently said he's sad to see his old club struggling. He told Piers Morgan he still cares about United but thinks they need smart people to build a future. He mentioned the team used to have young players who became stars, but now they don't have that structure. He hopes things change because the club has amazing potential.
What's Next for Man Utd?
For now, United is focusing on its Premier League performance. They want to bounce back after losing to Aston Villa. Next, they play Newcastle United on Boxing Day, and then Wolves come to Old Trafford on December 30. They'll have to play without their captain, Bruno Fernandes, for both games because he's injured.
EX-CAPTAIN NEVILLE CLAIMS SUBSTITUTIONS MADE MANCHESTER UNITED "WORSE" AGAINST WOLVES
Gary Neville slams Ruben Amorim’s "weird" substitutions and tactical shifts after Manchester United's 1-1 draw with bottom-side Wolves.
Gary Neville said that the performance of Manchester United in their match against winless Wolves was ‘the baddest of the bad.’
United would have moved fourth in the league with a win at Old Trafford last night, although Wolves, who had two points in 18 games before kickoff, ended their record of 11 straight losses with a 1-1 draw.
Amorim’s team had been knocked out of the Carabao Cup by a League Two team, Grimsby, in August, but Neville was convinced that United had hit rock bottom in a game that could have been even more one-sided were it not for two important saves by Senne Lammens.
“That was the baddest of the bad," the former United captain declared on the Gary Neville podcast.
“They weren’t just booed off at the final whistle. The fans waited in the stadium to continue to boo them. They’ve gone backwards.”
United had won at Newcastle 1-0 on Boxing Day, despite being plagued by an injury list that already lacked skipper Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt, as well as three players on African Cup of Nations duty.
But they remained flat right from the first whistle, and the header by Ladislav Krejci just before the half bottled Joshua Zirkzee's deflected shot.
Amorim’s formation choice of 3-4-3 was brought into focus once more as the Portuguese opted to go back to his preferred tactic of four at the back against Newcastle.
“This isn’t right. I’ve watched enough of United over the last five or six weeks to know what looks right and what isn’t right,” Neville had declared 20 minutes into his commentary on Sky Sports.
“Because, when I see that we go back (to three at the back) after five minutes tonight, I’m thinking, no, Ruben, why have you done that?
"The manager has to look at that and think, I got that wrong. I complicated it."
However, Amorim decided to substitute Zirkzee at halftime and brought on an 18-year-old Jack Fletcher, who made his third appearance at the senior level.
Regarding substitutions made by Amorim, Neville further added, “They made Manchester United worse. Every single substitution was ridiculous.”
‘If Zirkzee was injured, and it was a tactical substitution, that was a very poor one.’ But Zirkzee isn't Eric Cantona, not by a long shot, and he had to get out there for physicality, for presence, for experience.”
SEE LISANDRO MARTINEZ’S FURIOUS REACTION AFTER MAN UTD’S SHOCK WOLVES DRAW
Lisandro Martinez demands more after Man Utd’s 1-1 draw with bottom-placed Wolves. United ended 2025 sixth in the Premier League.
Stand-in captain Lisandro Martinez was mad that Manchester United dropped points against Wolves, who are at the bottom of the league.
United came into the last game of 2025 after a good win against Newcastle on Boxing Day and were expected to easily beat Wolves.
Joshua Zirkzee scored first for United, but they didn't take their chances. Ladislav Krejci's header tied the game for Wolves, 1-1.
It was only their third point in 19 games, and it stopped their 11-game losing streak. United fans booed at the end of the game.
When Martinez was asked if it felt like a disappointing point, he said, 100 percent.
We are very disappointed. We can't keep drawing or losing points at home. We have to win.
We want to be at the top, competing with the best.
We can't drop points in games like this. We just have to accept it and be hungry for the next game.
Martinez was captain again because Bruno Fernandes is still recovering from an injury.
When United coach Ruben Amorim was asked about injured players for the game against Leeds on Sunday, he didn't give much away. Leeds are really wanting to beat United for the first time since 2010.
Martinez said to MUTV, You can either make excuses, or you can be strong and say, 'We're dropping points, so we need to go for the next one and show what we can do.'
We need to work together and do the easy things to get the three points.
United is in sixth place in the league at the end of 2025, only two points behind Liverpool for the last Champions League spot. Liverpool has a game in hand.
They could be in a better position if they had been better in both boxes. Leeds has been playing well lately, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin doing great up front.
Martinez added, It's about us. I don't like to think about other teams.
I'm thinking about what we can do to get better as a team every day, and we have to learn from this game.