Ruben Amorim at Man United: His worst moments as boss, from Marcus Rashford to Grimsby
From dramatic quotes to rollercoaster performances, here's the best (and worst) of Ruben Amorim's time at Manchester United.
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Ruben Amorim was sacked by Manchester United in May following a rollercoaster 14 months in charge, with his explosive comments in a news conference at Leeds his final words as manager.
He finished with a record of 25 wins, 15 draws and 23 losses in 63 games.
Several low moments contributed to Amorim's demise after 420 days -- and ESPN has rounded them all up below ahead of his reunion with United in a preseason friendly with AC Milan.
- Man United? Amorim barely competent for PL - Jamie Carragher - Ruben Amorim sacked as Man United head coach
Richard Pelham/Getty Images Amorim's debut was at newly promoted Ipswich Town. A 3-4-3 system was implemented, with Noussair Mazraoui starting left wing-back, Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in central midfield and Jonny Evans at centre-back. Marcus Rashford (remember him?) scored the first goal of the Amorim-era in the second minute, but Omari Hutchinson equalised before half-time, and the score remained 1-1 at the final whistle.
After the game, Amorim said, "I know it is frustrating for the fans, but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games. We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games, but this will take time."
Well, he did warn everyone right at the start.
Amorim with Marcus Rashford in training, a few days before the Everton game. Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images Against a Sean Dyche-led Everton who were in the middle of a stubborn, defiant run of form, Amorim's system wreaked havoc. Joshua Zirkzee dropped deep to link play, Bruno Fernandes did Bruno Fernandes things in the left sided No. 10 role, Amad was a constant threat as right wing-back, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo dovetailed perfectly in central midfield, and Rashford, playing in between the lines as an advanced No. 10, was untouchable.
He scored twice, as did Zirkzee, with Fernandes and Amad getting a brace of assists each as United thumped Everton 4-0. The result saw United climb up to ninth in the table.
This ought to have been a blueprint for success for Amorim. Instead, it turned out to be Rashford's last league start for his childhood club. He, along with Alejandro Garnacho, was dropped from the squad completely for United's thrilling comeback in Amorim's first derby, and in January he was destined to leave. Amorim even claimed he would turn to his 63-year-old goalkeeping coach, before choosing Rashford.
"I will put Vital [on the bench] before I put a player that doesn't give the maximum every day," he said.
Rashford would leave for Villa on loan soon after. Now at Barcelona, he may not ever play for United again.
Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi celebrates after scoring a goal against Man United in the Premier League. Getty Images United lost four in a row following the win at City, including a 3-0 reverse at home to Bournemouth. "Everything is so hard," Amorim said as United were booed off. "Everyone is anxious."
If Amorim was seeking an instant response from the Bournemouth mess he was disappointed at Molineux as Wolves delivered a knockout punch on Boxing Day. Matheus Cunha, who would join United the following summer, became the second player in three games to score directly from a corner against his team, the ball sailing over Andre Onana's head. Hwang Hee-chan sealed matters on an abject night for United that saw captain Bruno Fernandes sent off for the third time in the campaign.
After a sound 3-1 thrashing by Brighton and Hove Albion that left Manchester United 13th in the table (where Erik Ten Hag had left them), Amorim pulled no punches... on his own team.
"In 10 games in the Premier League, we won two," he said. "We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United. I know that you want headlines, but I'm saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go, your headlines."
Amorim gave Turkey goalkeeper Altay Bayindir his top-flight chance after deciding to take Onana out of the firing line following high-profile errors against Lyon in the Europa League.
But the move backfired as Bayindir conceded with the first shot he faced and was culpable for giving the ball away as Bruno Guimarães scored Newcastle's fourth.
In total, Bayindir was beaten four times from six shots and captain Fernandes reflected that "this club has never suffered like this."
Ryan Pierse/Getty Images While United's Premier League slide -- they eventually finished 15th -- continued, an impressive Europa League run was in the works. United turned a 4-2 deficit into a thrilling Old Trafford comeback in the quarterfinals against Lyon, and would play fellow league strugglers Tottenham in the final.
The vibes weren't great going into it.
"People look at this competition as the only competition that can save our season," Amorim said. "I don't see it like that; nothing can save our season."
In arguably the defining match of the Amorim era, where a win would secure Champions League football and a £100 million windfall, United were dreadful in losing 1-0 to a scruffy Brennan Johnson goal. Amorim raised eyebrows by leaving Garnacho on the bench until the final 20 minutes, as United dominated possession but created few clear-cut chances.
After the final, he said: "If the board and the fans feel I'm not the right guy, I will go in the next day without any conversation about compensation... but I will not quit again. I am confident in my job. As you see, I will not change anything in the way I do things... in this moment, I am not here to defend myself. It's not my style. I have nothing to show to the fans. In this moment [I need] a little bit of faith."
Manchester United's defeat to Grimsby in the second-round of the League Cup was a new low for Ruben Amorim and his side. George Wood/Getty Images Going into their second round EFL Cup tie on the back of one point in two games in the Premier League, United had the perfect opportunity to kickstart their season at fourth-tier Grimsby Town.
Ahead of the match, Amorim explained why last season had been so tough: "We were not prepared to play in Europe. That was my feeling. [We were not prepared] to play strong games in the Champions League and then play in the Premier League. I said that last season. We need time to prepare every game."
At Grimsby, Amorim was lampooned for getting a tactics board out on the touchline as the Mariners took a 2-0 lead before Mbeumo (75') and Harry Maguire (89') salvaged it to 2-2. They did, though, lose a marathon penalty shootout 12-11 as Grimsby fans taunted Amorim with "sacked in the morning" chants.
Immediately after the match, Amorim slammed his players: "I think my players are talking really loud about what they want, so I'm really sorry to our fans, I have nothing to say anymore."
Two days later, ahead of his side's late 3-2 win against Burnley, he said "Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years... Sometimes I love to be with my players, sometimes I don't want to be with them. So, again, I need to improve on that. It's going to be hard."
A game after the Grimsby loss came a humbling 3-0 defeat at City. "I won't change my philosophy," Amorim said after the derby, "If they [the management] want it changed, you change the man." He also insisted, "I am suffering more than [the fans]."
Questions on the 'system' continued despite United's shaky 2-1 win over 10-man Chelsea, but Amorim stuck to his guns. "No, no, no. No one. Not even the Pope will change [the system]," he said before playing Brentford away.
After losing that game 3-1, he said: "When we win it's not the system; when we lose it's the system, Amorim said. "I understand that."
Manchester United coach Ruben Amorim reacts on the sidelines during his team's loss to Everton. Getty Images United went five games unbeaten before the visit of Everton, who beat Amorim's side 1-0 despite having Idrissa Gueye sent off after just 13 minutes for slapping teammate Michael Keane.
Amorim said afterwards that his team "deserved to lose" and admitted that, despite a positive recent run of performances, he's still "afraid" of a repeat of last season when a string of poor results saw United finish 15th.
"We are not there, not even near the point that we should be to fight for the best positions in the league," he said. "These five weeks everyone is praising our evolution. I'm always saying the same things. We are not even near what the moment we're supposed to be in this club.
"I feel afraid of returning to this feeling of last season. That is my biggest concern."
Ruben Amorim declined to expand on his claim that it will take "time and money" to make his system work at Manchester United. Carl Recine/Getty Images A dismal draw with the bottom side United were booed off as their topsy-turvy 2025 ended with a dismal draw at home to the Premier League's bottom side.
Wolves won only their third point of the season in ending an 11-match losing run. Zirkzee's deflected shot gave United a fortunate lead that was wiped out by Ladislav Krejcí.
Amorim spoke about being "really confident" of United's potential after the game, but behind the scenes tension was building.
After a disappointing 1-1 draw at Leeds, Amorim called out the club's scouting department and sporting director to "do their jobs" and said: "I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United and that is clear."
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher slammed the Portuguese coach's comments, saying he was "barely competent to be a Premier League manager."
Less than 24 hours later, Amorim was gone.
Club sources have denied that the decision was prompted by a breakdown in Amorim's relationship with director of football Jason Wilcox, but rather because the hierarchy "have not seen enough signs of evolution of progress."
However, it's hard to escape the sense that the timing of the move has much to do with Amorim's news conference at Elland Road
Information from PA and ESPN's Rob Dawson was used in this report.
