Wayne Rooney: Manchester United have “got worse” under Ruben Amorim | OneFootball

Wayne Rooney has delivered a damning assessment of Manchester United’s trajectory under Ruben Amorim, suggesting the club has regressed since the Portuguese head coach replaced Erik ten Hag last November.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show and reported by BBC Sport, the club’s all-time leading scorer reflected on United’s 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad on Sunday, a performance that left swathes of the visiting support heading for the exits long before the final whistle.

“I want to be as supportive and positive as I can,” Rooney said. “But it is very difficult to sit here and say we are seeing progression. We’re seeing none of that, and it is very difficult. I think if the manager is honest with himself, it has got worse.”

Amorim’s tenure, now ten months old, has yet to yield tangible improvement. United finished a dismal 15th in the Premier League last season, recording their lowest points total since relegation in 1974. Despite a £250m outlay on transfers and a clear-out of peripheral figures, familiar frailties remain.

New shape fails to improve United

The 40-year-old has sought to impose his favoured 3-4-3 system, a shape that underpinned his success at Sporting. Yet United’s performances have been marked by a lack of attacking fluency and defensive vulnerability, with supporters increasingly disillusioned.

Rooney, who scored 253 goals for the club, was particularly struck by the symbolism of United fans leaving the Etihad early. “You could hear them singing Amorim’s name, but then they were walking out. That is powerful, and very disappointing.”

With patience already fraying, questions over Amorim’s philosophy and United’s direction are growing louder. For a club accustomed to competing at the summit, the prospect of another season of drift feels dangerously close.

GFN | Finn Entwistle