Man Utd were WRONG to sack Ruben Amorim – & here’s five reasons why | OneFootball

Manchester United have sacked manager Ruben Amorim. The news doesn’t come as a great surprise, given tension with the club’s hierarchy and struggle to deliver results.

The Portuguese coach’s win percentage of just 38% is a considerable drop from each manager the club has had since Sir Alex Ferguson, In that sense the writing was on the wall and he can have few complaints.

But the decision to sack Amorim could be one they come to regret. Here are the five biggest reasons they were wrong to sack him.

5. Repeating past mistakes

There’s a certain logic in thinking someone – anyone – else can do a better job.

Amorim’s Premier League record of 1.24 points per game puts him about par with Peter Reid, Sam Allardyce and Steve McClaren. Surely a club of their stature ought to be doing better than that?

The dream scenario is that Darren Fletcher, or whoever else, can improve the vibes, oversee an immediate uplift and guide the club into the top four. What’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer up to, for that matter?

It can’t get worse, can it?

*Mick McCarthy voice*

Manchester United have fallen into this trap before. Things can always get worse. Look at Ralf Rangnick. Look at Amorim last season.

Another mid-season change. Another manager who walks into a mess and doesn’t get a pre-season. Yet more signings made in the image of a manager no longer there (a penny for your thoughts, Patrick Dorgu?). The cycle continues.

4. Lack of options

Sometimes a club can be fully justified in sacking a manager. Even when it can look cold-hearted and ruthless.

Look at Southampton going from Nigel Adkins to Mauricio Pochettino, or Bournemouth getting Andoni Iraola in place of Gary O’Neil.

Or Liverpool pulling the trigger on Brendan Rodgers when Jurgen Klopp was available. Or Manchester City awkwardly ushering Manuel Pellegrini out the door when they finally landed Pep Guardiola.

The problem for Manchester United is that – as far as we can see – no such market opportunity exists right now. The pool of elite managerial talent feels remarkably shallow.

Is this all worth it to land Enzo Maresca’s signature? Really? We’re doing all this again in 18 months, are we?

3. The objective is within reach

“If there is one club in the world that proved in the past that they can overcome any situation, any disaster, it’s our club – it’s Manchester United!”

That was Amorim’s promise to the supporters at Old Trafford following the club’s dismal end to the 2024-25 campaign.

With a humiliating League Cup exit to Grimsby and just eight wins from 20 Premier League games so far in 2025-26, that’s not exactly delivering on that rousing speech. But there has been improvement.

Ultimately, Manchester United only sit outside the top five (almost certainly enough for Champions League qualification) on goal difference. And they’re only three points off the reigning champions in fourth place.

Amorim’s remit this season was to get the club back into Europe. Given the lack of distraction, the backing and resources, that’s not an unreasonable ask.

Results aren’t great and consistency is lacking. But only Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa have won more than half their games this season.

The Premier League’s never been more competitive. ‘Big Six’ sides Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham are also struggling to put winning runs together.

Admittedly much of it was Amorim’s doing, but after finishing 15th and 24 points off the top five last season, they’d surely have taken being in the mix at the halfway stage of the campaign.

2. Underlying data

“Results are one thing. Manchester United might only be a whisker off the Champions League places, but you have to look at the context…”

Good idea. Let’s do that.

Per the data on FBref, only champions-elect Arsenal and likely runners-up Manchester City (and marginally at that) have registered a higher expected goals tally than Amorim’s United this season.

Their defensive numbers aren’t so striking – only the eighth-best in the division – but still things ultimately even out for them to boast the third-highest xG difference in the Premier League. Not too shabby.

They’ve registered a higher xG than the opposition in 13 of their 20 matches this season, including games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

OPTA have the Red Devils fourth in their ‘expected points’ table.

1. In for a penny…

The biggest issue with sacking Amorim is that it makes the board look shambolic. Doing it now only serves to make the past 14 months even more disastrous than they already were.

They backed him after finishing 15th last season. After losing the Europa League final to a dismal Tottenham side. They even gave him over £200million worth of reinforcements in the summer.

They’ve gone this far. They knew what you were getting into. Amorim made his staunch belief in his 3-4-3 system abundantly clear from day one. And now you make the change?

“He has not had the best of seasons,” Jim Ratcliffe told The Times’ business podcast back in October.

“Ruben needs to demonstrate he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be.”

What changed, Jim?

“The press, sometimes I don’t understand,” Ratcliffe added.

“They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it’s all going to be roses tomorrow.

“You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”