Amorim signs off in style with City thrashing to leave Sporting, Man U fans smiling

Liverpool maintain perfect record with big win over Leverkusen, Milan stun Real Madrid at the Bernabeu

As Ruben Amorim was being hoisted into the air by his Sporting players after an outstanding 4-1 victory over Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday, fans of Manchester United would have had double reason to be smiling broadly.

Any City defeat these days acts as a crumb of comfort for the Old Trafford faithful whose club have fallen from grace since the departure of serial trophy winner Alex Ferguson in 2013.

But that Sporting's victory was masterminded by Amorim, the coach who will begin his Manchester United reign next week after agreeing to become Erik ten Hag's replacement, will have made it extra special.

Amorim's Sporting side were outplayed for the opening 35 minutes by City but showed great resolve, flair and intelligence to hit back from a goal down to sweep to victory and move into second place in the Champions League group phase.

It was a magical way for the 39-year-old to mark his final home game in charge and he will bid a final farewell at the weekend away to Braga as Sporting try to make it 11 wins from 11 in the Portuguese top flight.

“Looking at the game, it was written on the wall,” Amorim, who has won two Portuguese titles in four years at Sporting, said.

“The opponent missing a penalty. There are days when things have to happen in a certain way.

“I couldn't ask for a better farewell. I'm very happy for this moment. It will still be better if we win in Braga, but I don't think I could ask for better.

“The result helped with the farewell. Everyone deserved this moment. We were very happy here in the [Jose] Alvalade [Stadium]. We've been through difficult times and to finish like this is special.”

Tuesday's win would have already earned him some kudos among the Manchester United fans but he faces a huge test of his credentials with the club languishing in 13th place in the Premier League table after 10 games.

His first game in charge will be against Ipswich Town after the international break and he will be up against Pep Guardiola and Manchester City again in December. He knows the challenge will be a bigger one to that in Lisbon where he says he has enjoyed the “best phase of his life”.

“When I'm at the next club, the approach will have to be different. Not much is taken from here because we will have to play differently in the future,” he said.

“Both are historic clubs. It will certainly be a different game.”

Amorim has jokingly been referred to as the next Ferguson and if he turns out even half as good as the Scot then United's long-suffering fans will be ecstatic.

He said he is not interested in comparisons though and vowed not to read the newspapers once he arrives in England.

“I'm certainly not going to read anything for six months. I did the same at Sporting. I'm not going to read anything or have access to anything. It's the only way to do my job.” he said.

Sporting marked the final home game Amorim's reign in stunning fashion as Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick saw them come from behind to thrash City and maintain their superb start to the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Portuguese league leaders were outplayed for most of the first half and should have trailed by more than Phil Foden's early goal, but Gyokeres levelled it up before the break.

City were caught cold at the start of the second period as Maximiliano Araujo finished a flowing move straight from the kickoff, before Gyokeres put Sporting further ahead minutes later from the penalty spot.

Erling Haaland had the chance to drag City back into the game but struck the crossbar with a penalty before Gyokeres wrapped it up for the hosts with another spot kick to send the Estadio Jose Alvalade crowd into raptures.

Amorim, who will take over as Manchester United manager on November 11, leaves Sporting in a fantastic position in the group phase with 10 points from four games. City's first defeat leaves them on seven points. 

Liverpool's Luis Diaz scored a second-half hat-trick as they maintained their perfect group campaign with a 4-0 victory over Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield.

Arne Slot's men provisionally lead the standings of Europe's elite competition with their fourth win in four matches, with Aston Villa, the only other team with a 100% record, playing Club Brugge in their fourth game on Wednesday.

Diaz broke the deadlock of a sluggish affair in stunning fashion in the 61st minute, timing his run onto Curtis Jones' pinpoint pass through the heart of Leverkusen's defence before lifting the ball over keeper Lukas Hradecky.

Gakpo doubled the Reds' lead two minutes later when he dived to head Mohamed Salah's cross home at the back post. The goal was initially ruled offside but the decision was overturned by VAR.

Diaz netted his second in the 83rd minute when he latched onto a cross from Salah, and then held off a challenge before slotting past Hradecky and he completed his hat-trick with a tap-in from close range in stoppage time.

AC Milan's Malick Thiaw, Alvaro Morata and Tijjani Reijnders all got on the scoresheet in a surprise 3-1 win at holders Real Madrid.

Thiaw gave seven-time European champions Milan the lead with a header from a corner in the 12th minute but Vinicius Jr equalised with a penalty 11 minutes later.

Morata put the visitors back in front by netting from a rebound in the 39th and Reijnders fired home a Rafael Leao cross after a counterattack to wrap up Milan's statement win over the lacklustre title holders.

Real are languishing in 17th place in the 36-team table with six points, one spot ahead of Milan on goal difference after four games.