Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has been turbulent to say the least, widely ridiculed for his inability to put together any impressive runs or performances despite huge spending. So why is he still here? Is he simply one of the greatest temptresses in Premier League history?
The Journey Begins
Amorim made his name at Sporting Lisbon, where he won them their first league title in 19 years in 2020-21 after only one season with the club. Sporting went on to win the League Cup three years in a row under Amorim and claimed another title in 2023-24. Sporting became a regular team in Europe and developed players such as João Palhinha and Viktor Gyökeres. Amorim was seen as one of the best young managers in Europe, known as a good communicator with a specific style of play that Jose Mourinho called ‘always intense’.
Credit: Agencia LUSA @ Wikicommons.
Amorim is United’s sixth manager post-Sir Alex Ferguson, many of whom have failed to impress at all and all of whom have failed to win a title. Winning titles seems to be the only thing that will keep fans happy, as Erik Ten Hag was given time after he won a trophy in both of his seasons with the club but could not put together a title charge. So, to feed a fanbase permanently disappointed with what was formerly a serially-winning club, new owner Jim Ratcliffe removes Ten Hag for the young and impressive Amorim, who gets over half of the 2024-25 season to begin implementing his professed ‘style’.
Last Season
Amorim’s tenure started limply with a 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town and carried on much the same, losing to Arsenal and then to Nottingham Forest. He obviously got the benefit of the doubt as he had just taken over, however, it was still worrying. But then in the Manchester derby, United came back from 1-0 down to win it in the last minute, and fans were immediately drawn back in, with Phil McNulty of the BBC specifically noting the ‘personal triumph‘ for Amorim that would increase his standing with the fans.
Classically, United then went on to lose their last three games of 2024, prompting Amorim to hilariously call his multi-million pound team ‘maybe the worst’ in the club’s history. While League form continued to slide (they would end up finishing 15th), Amorim kept fans invested with a Europa League campaign that he inherited from Ten Hag. United undeniably looked better playing against European teams, but part of Amorim’s magic is that he left fans waiting until the final second. Famously, against Lyon in the quarter-finals, where, in one of the most insane games I’ve ever seen, United went two up in the first half via Manuel Ugarte and Diogo Dalot, only to be pegged back to a draw and be taken to extra time. After this, Lyon almost immediately began scoring again, putting two past goalkeeper André Onana in no time and putting Manchester United on the brink of elimination. Amorim worked his magic however, and United won a penalty that was scored by Fernandes, followed quickly by Kobbie Mainoo, who scored with a minute left. Finally, in the extra time of extra time, Harry Maguire of all people got on the end of a cross to send United through.
While they would of course lose to the similarly struggling Spurs in one of the most boring finals in European history, these sparks of madness carried Amorim through the summer, as the board heavily invested in their new manager who had been given an extended benefit of the doubt by the club. At the end of the last game of the season, Amorim gave a speech on the Old Trafford pitch to the assembled fans where he thanked them and apologised for the ‘disaster’ season and said, to rapturous applause, that the ‘good times are coming’. It might not seem like much, but I genuinely believe that this dragged fans back to his side. After what many called the worst campaign in Manchester United’s history, a few words and they backed him again. All the fans that I knew were suckered in by this, and Amorim had wormed his way back into their hearts.
This Season
The board spent €250.70m on new players, the biggest three – Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo, and Benjamin Sesko – being attackers, proving that they believed in Amorim’s vision. Out of these players, Sesko has scored twice, and Mbuemo has scored once. Not exactly the glittering return you’d want from expensive star-studded signings. The 2025-26 season has been predictably average for United as they struggled to match wins over Burnley, Sunderland, and Chelsea, and lost to Arsenal and Manchester City. Meanwhile, in the League Cup they were beaten by Grimsby Town on penalties, as Amorim couldn’t even bring himself to watch proceedings. All this while a fan named Frank Ilett has been refusing to cut his hair until Manchester United win five games in a row – he’s been doing it since October 2024, and has grown a comedically large afro, just to add to the ridiculousness of the so-called ‘biggest club in the world’s’ situation.
While Manchester United suffers in the league without European football, their shiny new owner, Jim Ratcliffe, quietly cuts away at the club. 250 people were fired in 2024 and 200 more just this May, while millions and millions were paid for new players. Cost-cutting has even hit the club’s canteen and the offer of free fruit; at the same time, a brand new stadium is being proposed, showing the ownership is not above buttering up fans with good words while their actions are damaging the club.
It feels as if the institution of Manchester United, a once mighty club and the pride of half of Manchester, is being degraded by a manager and squad who seem to be on the verge of drowning every few weeks, and an ownership that cares about the business side more than the football side of the club. While it may be entertaining to view this ‘banter era’ from the outside, looking in as many of us do, for the Manchester United fans who find themselves praying for Ole Gunnar Solskjær, this is no laughing matter.
