Manchester United have parted ways with manager Ruben Amorim after a dismal 14-month tenure, with the Portuguese coach's fate seemingly sealed by problems evident from his very first match in charge.
A record-breaking failure at Old Trafford
The club confirmed Amorim's departure on Monday, 10th January 2026, following a 1-1 draw with Leeds United. His statistics make for grim reading: 24 wins, 18 draws, and 21 defeats from 63 matches, yielding a win rate of just 31 per cent. This represents the poorest record of any permanent United manager since Frank O'Farrell in 1971.
His Premier League points average of 1.23 per game is the worst since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement in 2013. While there were fleeting highs, including a 5-4 victory over Lyon and a 2-1 win against Liverpool this season, they were overshadowed by profound lows.
These included an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to League Two Grimsby Town, a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final, and a 15th-place Premier League finish last season.
The glaring tactical and personnel mistakes
A revisit of Amorim's debut – a 1-1 draw away at Ipswich Town in August 2024 – reveals three fundamental flaws that would define his reign.
Firstly, his mishandling of Marcus Rashford. The forward scored within three minutes of that debut, showcasing the clinical edge Amorim constantly sought. Yet, the manager later ostracised Rashford, loaning him to Aston Villa and then Barcelona, where he has flourished with 7 goals and 11 assists this term. Amorim famously stated he would rather have 63-year-old goalkeeping coach Jorge Vital on the bench. Meanwhile, United have scored a paltry 36 goals collectively all campaign.
Secondly, an unwavering and flawed devotion to the 3-4-3 system. Even against relegated Ipswich, the formation was exploited in wide areas, with Liam Delap missing three clear chances. Amorim refused to adapt, stating after later defeats: "I won't change my philosophy. If they want it changed, you change the man." This stubbornness persisted despite a £250million investment in new players who failed to fix the system's inherent weaknesses.
A corrosive culture of selfishness
The third, and perhaps most damning, issue was a persistent culture of individual greed over team success. This was epitomised during that first game when Alejandro Garnacho, played through by Bruno Fernandes with Rashford in space, chose a speculative shot over a simple pass and was tackled. This cost two points that day and many more thereafter.
Even in a 4-1 win at Wolves last month, the problem persisted, with players like Amad choosing low-percentage shots over passes to teammates in better positions. This lack of collective responsibility was a cultural issue Amorim never resolved.
In the end, the solutions to United's struggles under Ruben Amorim were visible from the very beginning. His failure to recognise and act upon them, clinging rigidly to a failing philosophy, ultimately led to his premature exit from Old Trafford.
