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The Red Devils have terminated the contract of manager their Portuguese head coach after a brief and turbulent 14-month stint in charge. The decision comes following a reported power struggle over January funds and even with the team's improved league position.

The Final Straw

Relations between Amorim and the club's hierarchy, particularly director of football Jason Wilcox, had been deteriorating for some time. The immediate catalyst is believed to have been statements made by the coach after Sunday's 1-1 draw with Leeds United. He reportedly told the recruitment team to "do their job," emphasizing a major disagreement.

"I was hired as 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, the Portuguese manager's time at the club was difficult. He departs with a win ratio of under 40% and a league points average of 1.24 in the top flight. The team lost more games than it won in 2025.

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

The Last Five Matches

• 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 statement, the club framed 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 immediate aftermath, club legend Darren Fletcher will take charge on an interim basis. He is expected to be in the technical area for the upcoming Premier League fixture against the Clarets.

For the permanent role, oddsmakers and pundits are speculating a range of potential candidates. Names being linked include Spanish tactician Xavi, the Austrian manager, England national team boss Gareth Southgate, and Enzo Maresca.

Fan and Pundit Reaction

The sacking has generated mixed reactions among supporters and commentators. Some cite the underwhelming performances and style as justification, while others believe the ownership and directors must bear a large responsibility for instability.

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... The ownership and their ‘best-in-class’ claims should, however, feel a large brunt of the fan’s rage; this was a farce from start to finish."

A counter-argument states: "It seems unreasonable to blame results when United 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 better team than last year."

The search for a new manager and the quest for stability at Manchester United begins once again.