Manchester United Sack Ruben Amorim, Name Interim Manager With Immediate Effect
- Manchester United have sacked manager Ruben Amorim after 14 months in charge
- The Red Devils have appointed Darren Fletcher as interim manager with immediate effect
- Amorim’s tenure was criticised for tactical inflexibility and behind-the-scenes disagreements
Manchester United have announced the departure of head coach Ruben Amorim after 14 months in charge, following a 1-1 draw against Leeds United that leaves the Red Devils sixth in the Premier League after 20 matches.
The Red Devils stated the decision was reluctantly made but deemed necessary to give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.
Source: Getty Images
Amorim, who joined United from Sporting CP in November 2024 for €11 million, had a contract set to run until 2027, with the club required to honour the full terms of his deal due to the absence of a release clause, The Athletic reports.
During his time at Old Trafford, the Portuguese coach faced criticism over tactical rigidity, primarily his preference for a 3-4-3 formation.
Attempts to vary formations in training saw limited success, and his insistence on the 3-4-3 system in key matches reportedly contributed to strained relations with club officials.
Man United appoint interim manager
Former Manchester United midfielder and current Under-18 coach Darren Fletcher has been named interim manager, taking charge of the team for Wednesday night’s away game at Burnley, BBC Sport reports.
Fletcher’s appointment provides temporary stability while the Red Devils’ leadership team, including chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, evaluates options for a permanent replacement during the summer.
Fletcher will be tasked with steadying a squad that has struggled for consistency, despite showing flashes of promise under Amorim.
Manchester United’s sixth-place position in the Premier League and early elimination from all domestic cup competitions have heightened pressure on the interim manager to deliver immediate results, particularly as the club eyes a return to the Champions League.
What led to Amorim’s downfall at Man United
Reports indicate that Amorim’s sack was influenced by disagreements over squad construction and a lack of backing in the transfer market.
Source: Getty Images
The former Sporting boss, who won the Primeira Liga twice and the Portuguese League Cup twice with the Lisbon side, suggested before the Leeds match that he felt limited in his ability to implement his tactical philosophy, hinting at disagreement with senior Manchester United figures.
In his post-match comments after the draw against Leeds, Amorim stated his desire to work as a “manager, not a coach,” and acknowledged he might leave once his contract expired.
That statement came less than 24 hours before Manchester United confirmed his sack in a statement on Monday, January 5.
How fans reacted to Amorim sack
Following the reports of Amorim’s exit from Manchester United, fans took to social media to express their disbelief at the decision.
“Manchester United speed-running another ‘trust the process’ era 😭 Sack the coach, keep the problems, repeat the cycle. Amorim barely unpacked his bags.💼”
“SOMETIMES I WISH YOU STAYED AT SPORTING. You gave you best and really appreciate your effort 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼😭😭😭”
“United fans are so funny. You think now that Amorim is sacked Dalot will start playing like Roberto Carlos? He had a vision and all he needed was time! Now we're back to square one over again.”
Zidane backed to replace Amorim
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Manchester United is under pressure to sack Ruben Amorim after a 3-1 defeat to Brentford once again derailed the club’s bid to climb the Premier League table.
The defeat has intensified rumours linking the Red Devils with former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, who has been out of management since 2021.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
