Man United legend says they’ve ‘got worse’ under Amorim | OneFootball

Rooney voices doubt over Amorim’s impact at Man Utd

Wayne Rooney has questioned whether Manchester United have regressed under Ruben Amorim, insisting results and performances point towards decline rather than progress. The Portuguese coach, appointed on 1 November last year following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag, has struggled to find consistency in nearly a year at the helm.

United’s 3-0 derby defeat to Manchester City on Sunday sharpened scrutiny, with disillusioned supporters leaving the Etihad Stadium long before full-time. It was the latest in a string of limp displays that underline how little momentum Amorim’s project has generated.

Rooney’s blunt assessment

Speaking on his weekly show, Rooney made clear that patience among fans is waning:

The club’s all-time leading scorer added that the sight of United fans streaming out of the away section before the final whistle was telling. “It is so powerful,” he remarked. “You know the game is gone, and the fans were clearly very disappointed with what they were watching. It’s hard to see how this continues.”

Rooney, who registered 253 goals in a 13-year United career, warned that questions around tactical patterns and long-term improvement remain unanswered.

A system under strain

Amorim has attempted to transplant the 3-4-3 framework that brought him success in Portugal. Since his arrival, United have committed around £250 million to reshape the squad, moving on several high-profile players deemed surplus. Yet despite the overhaul, familiar frailties have persisted.

Last season’s 15th-place finish — their lowest since 1989–90 — highlighted the depth of the challenge. A return of just 42 points represented the club’s poorest top-flight campaign since relegation in 1973–74. Ten months on, supporters are yet to see evidence that Amorim’s rigid tactical approach is yielding improvement.

Rooney reflected on those ambitions: “After Ten Hag went and Ruben came in, we kept hearing about changes in style and philosophy. But if the manager is honest with himself, it has got worse.”

Questions over direction

The sense of drift is hard to ignore. For all the investment, United’s performances remain short of expectations, and a coherent identity has yet to emerge. Fans, once energised by the promise of a new era, are increasingly sceptical.

Amorim, 40, remains adamant that persistence with his system will eventually deliver, but the Premier League affords little time for trial and error. With standards at Old Trafford so high, patience is finite.

Rooney’s intervention carries weight: not simply as a former captain, but as someone attuned to the demands of Manchester United. His words will resonate across a fanbase desperate for stability and success — and raise fresh questions about whether Amorim can steer the club out of its malaise.