Amorim's schedule: The first month

Our new head coach has at least had the advantage of arriving during an international break, allowing him time to get used to the environs of Carrington and Old Trafford.

But the football calendar stops for nobody, and before Amorim knows it the games will be coming thick and fast.

Of course, every match United play is important, and the new boss will undoubtedly take each one as it comes, but he may have half an eye on some particular occasions and opponents coming up in the weeks before Christmas.

Here are some of the key dates for Amorim over the next six weeks...

IPSWICH (A) — Premier League, 24 November

Amorim kicks off his United tenure with a fairly substantial trip down to Portman Road to face Ipswich Town, with former Reds first-team coach Kieran McKenna at the helm for the Tractor Boys.

As introductions to the Premier League go, they could certainly be harsher than a team that finds themselves 17th place with just one win to their name. But make no mistake; Ipswich have battled hard in each of their 11 opening games, causing early scares for the likes of Manchester City and Brentford, before ultimately succumbing to defeat.

The Suffolk side will be on a high, though, having recorded a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur in north London before the international break.

BODO/GLIMT (H) — Europa League, 28 November

The United manager will hope to hit the ground running in that first clash, as there is little let up from that point on. His second game in charge comes just four days after his first, a home clash against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League.

That match will also see him welcomed by an Old Trafford crowd for the first time as head coach, no doubt a memory that he and fans will cherish for years to come.

With work still to do in this season's Europa League, he'll want to get off to a good start in M16 and work towards sealing qualification to the knockout rounds of the competition.

ARSENAL (A) — Premier League, 4 December

When Amorim faces Arsenal he'll already have three games under his belt — having gone up against Everton in the Premier League three days before this game — and will hope to have started making progress on structuring his team for the weeks and months ahead.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is much further along that journey and his side were one of the strong favourites to lift the league title before a ball was kicked this season. They hit a rocky patch before the international break, going without a win in three across all competitions, but to write them off would be a mistake.

If Amorim had any doubts regarding the scale and quality of the Premier League, a trip to the Emirates Stadium should provide a good steer. It'll be his first time facing one of the league's top sides, but he has fond memories of the North London ground, having knocked Arsenal out with Sporting in 2023.

MANCHESTER CITY (A) — Premier League, 15 December

Talking of Amorim's record against English side, it's only recently that our crosstown rivals Manchester City were defeated by Sporting in the Champions League.

He'll meet Pep Guardiola's side again just over a month after that encounter, this time attempting to emulate the same success for the Reds. There will be an extra bite to this occasion with it being a derby, and Amorim will get his first taste of that rivalry.

We famously defeated the Blues at Wembley last season in the FA Cup, but they proved trickier customers in the league. The new head coach will hope to turn those fortunes in this campaign.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (A) — Carabao Cup, 19 December

There's no better way to start a managerial stint than bagging some silverware in your first season, and Amorim will view the Carabao Cup as a great opportunity to do just that.

Doing so against Spurs promises to throw up some challenges, as the Portuguese head coach comes head-to-head with Ange Postecoglou's all-out attacking style.

This particular trophy has passed between ourselves and Liverpool in its past three iterations. Amorim will be keen to see that pattern continue, so will need to find a way to emerge victorious at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

AMORIM'S FULL SCHEDULE

The Reds play a total of nine matches across three competitions from Amorim's first game up until Christmas. Here's the slate of fixtures in full...

NOVEMBER

Ipswich (A) — Premier League, 24 Nov (16:30 GMT)
Bodo/Glimt (H) — Europa League, 28 Nov (20:00 GMT)

DECEMBER

Everton (H) — Premier League, 1 Dec (13:30 GMT)
Arsenal (A) — Premier League, 4 Dec (20:15 GMT)
Nottingham Forest (H) — Premier League, 7 Dec (17:30 GMT)
Viktoria Plzen (A) — Europa League, 12 Dec (17:45 GMT)
Manchester City (A) — Premier League, 15 Dec (16:30 GMT)
Tottenham Hotspur (A) — Carabao Cup, 19 Dec (20:00 GMT)
Bournemouth (H) — Premier League, 22 Dec (14:00 GMT)