Ex-Man United midfielder to take charge at Old Trafford as Ruben Amorim sacked
Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim after comments he made following their draw with Leeds United on Sunday.
The Portuguese hinted at a falling out with a member of the club hierarchy during his post-match press conference, and insisted that he had agreed to join as a manager rather than a head coach.
Amorim’s comments raised eyebrows at Manchester United, especially considering the inconsistency that his team have shown in the opening months of the campaign.
The Red Devils are within touching distance of the Champions League places at the 20-game mark of the season, but the board at Old Trafford felt that he couldn’t continue after his recent comments.
Darren Fletcher to take interim charge of Manchester United
Amorim has been under pressure at Manchester United for several months, but his comments after the trip to Leeds appear to have been the final straw.
The 40-year-old has been axed with immediate effect at Old Trafford, with a “breakdown in relations” seen as the main cause, according to David Ornstein via his X account.
The former Sporting CP boss still had 18 months left on his contract at Old Trafford, but that has been unable to save him from his fate.
Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is expected to take interim charge of the team while a new manager is sourced.
The Scot made over 340 appearances for United across an esteemed playing career that saw him win five Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson, plus securing Champions League glory in 2008.
Fletcher has been in charge of the U18 team at Carrington since the summer, and his sons Tyler and Jack were both named on the bench at Elland Road on Sunday.
Ruben Amorim’s fate was inevitable
Gary O’Neil made it clear that Amorim was playing a dangerous game with his comments on Match of the Day on Sunday night, and he has now paid the price for his bravery.
Enzo Maresca suffered a similar fate at Chelsea after he publicly hinted at his discontent, and it appears that Amorim didn’t take any lessons from his dismissal.
The United boss opted to roll the dice with his comments, which could have sparked the club into handing him significant resources in the January transfer window.
Instead, it has backfired in the worst possible way, and he has paid the ultimate price for airing the issues behind the scenes in public.