Today's Premier League sacking: Amorim

Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United. United have had six permanent managers since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and have finished no higher than second in that time, achieved by both Jose Mourinho (2017-18) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2020-21). The club have spent more than £50million ($67m, €57m) on removing managers since Ferguson left the role.

The Portuguese’s final game of his 14-month spell as head coach was the 1-1 draw against Leeds United on Sunday that leaves them sixth in the Premier League after 20 matches.

Former midfielder and current Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher will take charge on an interim basis, with his first game being away at Burnley on Wednesday night. A permanent appointment is likely to wait until the summer.

The club’s leadership team, including chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, arrived at the decision after a breakdown in relations behind the scenes.

In his press conference after the Leeds game Amorim hinted at tensions with those working alongside him, making clear in his post-match press conference that he considered himself the “manager” of United, not the “coach”.

Amorim also hinted at differences of opinion relating to the 3-4-3 formation and an inability to sign the players his preferred system requires. He again set his team up in the 3-4-3 against Leeds.

Amorim effectively called on United’s hierarchy to back him or sack him, and they have chosen the latter. The decision was taken in conjunction with the Glazer family, who own the majority of United shares.

United paid €11million (£9.25m; $11.95m) to hire Amorim from Sporting, where he won the Primeira Liga title in 2021 and again in 2024 while also winning the Taca da Liga — the Portuguese League Cup — on two occasions. Amorim succeeded Erik ten Hag, with the Dutchman leaving after two and a half years in charge at Old Trafford

United went on to suffer their worst-ever Premier League season, finishing 15th with just 42 points — their fewest in a top-flight season since they were relegated in 1973–74.

They went out of the FA Cup in the fifth round at the hands of Fulham, suffered a Carabao Cup exit at the quarter-final stage after losing to Tottenham Hotspur and reached the final of the Europa League, only to lose to the north London side again. Defeat by Spurs in Bilbao sealed a first trophyless campaign since 2021-22 and ensured they failed to secure European football for the first time since 2014.

United spent more than £200million ($269m) on new signings during the 2025 summer transfer window, with Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha all arriving for fees above £60m. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens also arrived from Royal Antwerp in an £18.2m deal on deadline day.

This season, United endured their worst start to a campaign since 1992-93, managing only seven points from their opening six Premier League games.

Amorim’s departure raises major questions for Ratcliffe’s running of United, given his reign lasted just 14 months and has ended in acrimony. Chief executive Berrada advocated for Amorim’s appointment when the club’s hierarchy discussed replacements for Ten Hag in October 2024, feeling his charisma and pedigree in winning two Portuguese titles was a good fit for United.

Amorim’s appointment will now rank alongside the Ten Hag and Ashworth episodes as INEOS’ biggest missteps since taking the reins at Old Trafford.

It is certainly the most publicly explosive, after Amorim demanded his superiors give him the level of control and authority he believed he was due, exposing tensions over his system and the club’s ability to sign players it requires in the transfer market.

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The Political Economy of Football V2

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