Ruben Amorim has insisted he is going to need a collective effort from all of his Manchester United players on Sunday at Elland Road.
Next up for United is a tricky test against rivals Leeds United, with the Whites having enjoyed a positive few weeks, in terms of results.
A 0-0 draw with Liverpool on New Year's Day means it's now six games without defeat for Daniel Farke's side.
Two wins and four draws, along with a hatful of goals from in-form forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, means the Reds face a team with their tails up.
Amorim spoke about the topic of the hostile atmosphere, as well as others, and you can read all the quotes from part one of his press conference below...
Hi Ruben, Happy new year. In terms of the squad, are there going to be any players back and are there any other issues?
Obviously players like Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes would be a huge boost for a place like Elland Road. I'm guessing you've not experienced it before in any way. What are you expecting from them?
“I heard it is a big derby and a great environment. A big rival. Every game in the Premier League is tough for us. I know that it means so much to the fans but we need to go there and try to win.”
“We're going [with] no issues. We are going to see tomorrow as we have one more training [session]. I don't think so that anyone is going to recover, but we will see.”
Obviously players like Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes would be a huge boost for a place like Elland Road. I'm guessing you've not experienced it before in any way. What are you expecting from them?
“I heard it is a big derby and a great environment. A big rival. Every game in the Premier League is tough for us. I know that it means so much to the fans but we need to go there and try to win.”
I just want to look at the bigger picture. When you look at where the team was post-Europa League final. Six months on, to be sixth and six points off the top-four places, in the bigger picture, are you happy with the progress the team has made heading into 2026?
Ruben, Daniel Farke's Leeds now are a very different team than they were maybe two or three months ago. How difficult is this game going to be?
“They have a lot of pace and, sometimes, we struggle with pace. They are confident, but we have proved we can win any game in any situation, in every context. So we will try to do that again. We know that they change the system. They have different players in [the] front. They can as, the last game, they rotated two players that usually are the starters. So they have good players, good manager, great environment. It is going to be a tough game.”
In terms of the rivalry, you obviously played for Benfica, you managed Sporting. Can you kind of equate that rivalry to what you will experience on Sunday?
“It is different than ever. I never experienced this one unfortunately, the rivalry here, it's the same but just with different environments and a different culture. But the noise is going to be big. We just have to perform. It's hard to compare different cultures, different bodies, a different history. Let's just focus on the game that is 11 guys against 11 in the beginning and we will try to win.”
“I think we are playing better when we have the full squad. It is clear that we are attacking better. We are not being good enough in the details. We should have more points in the moment, but, of course, we want always more. We should have more points in the table.”
Ruben, Daniel Farke's Leeds now are a very different team than they were maybe two or three months ago. How difficult is this game going to be?
“They have a lot of pace and, sometimes, we struggle with pace. They are confident, but we have proved we can win any game in any situation, in every context. So we will try to do that again. We know that they change the system. They have different players in [the] front. They can as, the last game, they rotated two players that usually are the starters. So they have good players, good manager, great environment. It is going to be a tough game.”
In terms of the rivalry, you obviously played for Benfica, you managed Sporting. Can you kind of equate that rivalry to what you will experience on Sunday?
“It is different than ever. I never experienced this one unfortunately, the rivalry here, it's the same but just with different environments and a different culture. But the noise is going to be big. We just have to perform. It's hard to compare different cultures, different bodies, a different history. Let's just focus on the game that is 11 guys against 11 in the beginning and we will try to win.”
Is it easy to do that because the noise and the intensity and the crowd will be really against your team right at the start of the game?
Hi Ruben. We've seen Liverpool and Chelsea drop points as well this week, and it feels like your side at the halfway stage, are well in with a chance of reaching the Champions League. Does the fact put yourself in such a promising position change what you are thinking this month in terms of the transfer window? Is it worth kind of pushing the envelope a little bit further to make sure you get top four, top five?
“The transfer window is not going to change. We have no conversation in this moment to have any change in the squad. There's a process, there's an idea that is going to continue. We are near the places of the Champions League, but we are near also for like eight teams behind us. So let's focus on the next game. Just that and our focus is to win the next game.”
“When you play for Manchester United, you need to be ready for everything. We have, and you guys have, the best league in the world, but every game now, and you see every week [there are] a lot of draws. You never control. You never understand what is going to happen in the end of that week. So it's going to be tough, but it's always tough nowadays in the Premier League.”
Hi Ruben. We've seen Liverpool and Chelsea drop points as well this week, and it feels like your side at the halfway stage, are well in with a chance of reaching the Champions League. Does the fact put yourself in such a promising position change what you are thinking this month in terms of the transfer window? Is it worth kind of pushing the envelope a little bit further to make sure you get top four, top five?
“The transfer window is not going to change. We have no conversation in this moment to have any change in the squad. There's a process, there's an idea that is going to continue. We are near the places of the Champions League, but we are near also for like eight teams behind us. So let's focus on the next game. Just that and our focus is to win the next game.”
You played some very young players in the last few games - Lacey, Fletcher, Mantato. Given the hostile nature of the environment on Sunday, will that change your selection at all?
But you are confident, if needed, those kids can handle that kind of atmosphere?
“They have to. It's a game in a hostile environment, but they need to be ready. They need to experience that, but it's going to be hard for any player, even the guys with a lot of experience. But again, we already experienced that. At Bilbao last year, with the sound, so I know that that feeling is completely different. But they need to be ready.”
Have any players knocked on your door this month and asked to leave? I know there has been talk about Joshua Zirkzee?
“No, none of them.”
Do you expect any of them to come and ask [to leave]?
“No. I do not expect this from any of them.”
“We look to everything, but they need to be prepared. You can see the squad, it is impossible and we cannot stretch the players that we don't have at the moment. I will try to put together a team that is ready to cope with that. I will try to read the game and try to understand what I should do to help them.”
But you are confident, if needed, those kids can handle that kind of atmosphere?
“They have to. It's a game in a hostile environment, but they need to be ready. They need to experience that, but it's going to be hard for any player, even the guys with a lot of experience. But again, we already experienced that. At Bilbao last year, with the sound, so I know that that feeling is completely different. But they need to be ready.”
Have any players knocked on your door this month and asked to leave? I know there has been talk about Joshua Zirkzee?
“No, none of them.”
Do you expect any of them to come and ask [to leave]?
“No. I do not expect this from any of them.”