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The Old Trafford club have parted ways with manager their Portuguese head coach after a little over a year in charge. The announcement comes following a growing disagreement over recruitment strategy and even with the team's recent upturn in form.

What Sparked the Decision

Tensions between Amorim and the club's hierarchy, specifically director of football Jason Wilcox, had been deteriorating for some time. The final trigger is believed to have been comments made by Amorim following Sunday's 1-1 draw with their rivals. He is said to have told the recruitment team to "do their job," underscoring a fundamental rift.

"I came here to be the manager of Manchester United – not to be the coach. That is clear. I know my name is not Tuchel, Mourinho or Conte but I’m the manager. It’s going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change. I’m not going to quit, I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me."

A Miserable Tenure

On paper, Amorim's time at Old Trafford was difficult. He leaves with a win ratio of a sub-40% win rate and a points-per-game average of just 1.24 in the Premier League. The team lost more games than it won in the calendar year 2025.

Interestingly, his final games showed a slight improvement. United lost just one of his last eight matches and currently sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, just a narrow margin off the coveted Champions League spots.

Final Games in Charge

• 4-4 draw vs Bournemouth (Home)
• 2-1 loss vs Aston Villa (Away)
• 1-0 win vs Newcastle United (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (Home)
• 1-1 draw vs Leeds United (Away)

Official Statement

In its release, the club presented the decision as one aimed at securing the best possible seasonal position.

"With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has after careful consideration made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish. The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future."

Looking Ahead

In the short term, former player Darren Fletcher will assume control on an temporary basis. He is expected to be in the dugout for the next league fixture against Burnley.

For the long-term position, oddsmakers and pundits are suggesting a range of possible successors. Names being linked include Spanish tactician Xavi Hernández, Oliver Glasner, England national team boss Southgate, and another promising coach.

The Court of Public Opinion

The news has generated divided opinion among supporters and commentators. Some cite the underwhelming results and tactics as valid reasons, while others believe the club's hierarchy must bear a large responsibility for continuous turmoil.

A perspective suggests: "{Between the consistently bad performances and results, the very low win ratio and the tactical rigidity, he has no one else to blame but himself... INEOS and their ‘best-in-class’ claims should, however, feel a large brunt of the fan’s rage; this was a mess from beginning to end."

An alternative take states: "It seems unreasonable to blame results when United are in the top six in the table... They’ve beaten top sides... and have lost only twice since the start of October. Just watching them you can see they’re a improved side than last year."

The search for a new manager and the quest for stability at Old Trafford begins once again.