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The Old Trafford club have terminated the contract of manager their Portuguese head coach after just 14 months in charge. The decision comes following a growing power struggle over transfer policy and even with the team's improved league position.

What Sparked the Decision

The relationship between the manager and the club's leadership, particularly director of football the recruitment chief, had been deteriorating for some time. The decisive moment is believed to have been comments made by Amorim following the recent 1-1 draw with their rivals. He publicly told the recruitment team to "fulfill their responsibilities," highlighting a major disagreement.

"My role is 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 Struggling Reign

On paper, the Portuguese manager's time at the club was undistinguished. He leaves with a record of victories of a sub-40% win rate and a league points average of a meager 1.24 in the top flight. The team suffered more defeats than it won in the calendar year 2025.

Interestingly, his last matches in charge showed a slight improvement. United were defeated only once of his last eight matches and now find themselves in sixth place in the standings, 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)

United's Position

In its official communication, the club framed the decision as one aimed at securing the best possible league finish.

"With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly 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, club legend Darren Fletcher will assume control on an caretaker basis. He is expected to be in the dugout for the next Premier League fixture against Burnley.

For the long-term position, oddsmakers and analysts are suggesting a number of potential candidates. Names in the frame include Spanish tactician Xavi Hernández, Oliver Glasner, Three Lions manager Southgate, and another promising coach.

The Court of Public Opinion

The announcement has sparked debate among the fanbase and observers. Some cite the underwhelming results and tactics as valid reasons, while others believe the club's hierarchy must shoulder significant blame for continuous turmoil.

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

An alternative take states: "It seems unreasonable to blame results when the team are in the top six in the table... They’ve beaten Liverpool, Chelsea... 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 hunt for a new manager and the pursuit for stability at Manchester United begins anew.