Rob Dawson, correspondent
Manchester United are willing to take steps to prevent leaks of team information, a source told ESPN, after Ruben Amorim’s starting XI for Sunday’s Manchester derby was circulated online almost 24 hours before kick-off.
Amorim admitted that “it’s not good” when asked about the leak of news about the band after Victory 2-1 over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
United sources told ESPN the Portuguese coach is not overly concerned about the problem, which occurred even before his arrival at Old Trafford.
However, the club is determined to take steps to maintain team news from going public as best they can.
A source told ESPN that players and staff were informally reminded of their obligation to keep information confidential to prevent opponents from gaining a competitive advantage. Team news ahead First league Meeting times are usually announced to the public 75 minutes before the start.
United, according to the source, do not believe that any single player or staff member is responsible for the leaks and that information is leaking through in a variety of ways. Amorim usually informs players of their lineup for the next game after the final session the previous day. His starting XI against City was leaked on social media on Saturday evening, almost 24 hours before Sunday’s match.
Asked after the match about his reaction to the team news being leaked, Amorim said: “I know the story. I don’t know. I don’t think it can be fixed these days because there are so many people in the club.
“Players talk to agents, you can talk to a friend. So it’s hard to say. It’s not a good thing, but let’s move on, let’s move on to the next one and see if they find their next starting XI.”
The next opponent in action will be United Tottenham in the quarterfinals Carabao Cup on Thursday.
