Rúben Amorim’s performance at the helm of Manchester United is under scrutiny. The numbers, the definitive indicator in football, do not favor the Portuguese coach.
The equation is simple: win more matches than are lost, score more goals than are conceded, and make the right decisions. Amorim, however, has failed to adhere to these principles. His tactical scheme, a 3-4-3, seems to be generating problems for the team.
Despite the support of the board, Amorim’s situation is complicated with each defeat. Time, as has happened with other coaches in the past, could be counting against him. Results are the determining factor, and Amorim is not getting them.
The 3-1 defeat to Brentford deepens United’s crisis.
The fans and some club leaders have expressed a lack of faith in Amorim.
Amorim himself remains calm in the face of the situation.
The 3-1 defeat to Brentford was the 17th in the Premier League in 33 matches for United under Amorim’s management. The team has only accumulated 34 points, averaging 1.03 per game. Their win percentage in the competition is 27.3%, even surpassing that of Graham Potter, who was fired from West Ham with a 26% win rate. This makes Amorim, by a wide margin, the worst coach of Manchester United in the Premier League era.
David Moyes, sacked after 10 months in 2014, had the worst win percentage of a permanent United manager in the Premier League, with 50%. Even Ralf Rangnick, who managed the team on an interim basis in 2022, achieved 41.6%.
Amorim’s numbers are alarming. In his 33 league games, United have scored only 39 goals and conceded 53. Across all competitions, he has managed 49 games, with more losses (21) than wins (19). The team has conceded as many goals as it has scored (95 for and 95 against).
Furthermore, they haven’t achieved consecutive victories in the Premier League, nor away wins since March. Adding to this is the defeat against a fourth-division team in the League Cup.
The Future of Amorim
Faced with this situation, United’s board, led by Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, faces the difficult task of justifying Amorim’s continuation. According to sources close to the club, the lack of a credible and available replacement could be a key factor. However, it is also acknowledged that the results are far below expectations, and that Amorim has yet to improve the team’s performance.Nicol: The Manchester United team is not good enough.The restructuring off the field, with hundreds of employees losing their jobs, has affected the mood at the club, which could be a mitigating factor. Amorim is not responsible for the mistakes of previous managers. For example, he was not involved in the arrival of players who did not meet expectations.
Amorim was looking for an experienced goalkeeper to replace André Onana, but the high costs of Gianluigi Donnarumma or Emiliano Martínez led the club to sign Senne Lammens, a 23-year-old with no experience. Despite Amorim’s statements about the lack of physicality in midfield, United did not sign any midfielders, and allowed Toby Collyer to leave without replacing him.
Despite these factors, United invested over £200 million in signings, including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko.
The numbers are conclusive and reflect the reality of the team. Amorim faces his 50th match against Sunderland. Another bad result could mean his departure from Old Trafford.
