Sporting boss Ruben Amorim says Manchester United fans may think “the new Alex Ferguson has arrived” if his team beat Manchester City on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old has two more games as Sporting boss before taking over at Old Trafford – including the Champions League match against his new team’s city rivals.
“If the result is very negative, expectations will drop and I don’t think that’s a bad starting point, when you begin at Manchester United,” he said in his pre-match news conference.
“If we win, they’ll think the new Sir Alex Ferguson has arrived, which is very difficult to maintain.
“I’m fully aware that I’m going to be judged as a manager on this game, and only on this game, and I realise what people can take from this depending on the result.”
Ferguson won 38 trophies during 26 years as Manchester United boss before retiring in 2013. He is leaving his role as club ambassador at the end of the season.
Sporting have won 14 of their past 15 games in all competitions, only losing the Portuguese Super Cup this season.