The pressure is increasing on Ruben Amorim with every passing week and plans for what happens next are being made and re-made behind the scenes.
Manchester United finished in the lower reaches of the Premier League last season and missed out on the last-minute salvation of a Champions League place through the Europa League.
Ahead of their first new season under Amorim, the Red Devils invested heavily in the transfer market to bring in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Senne Lammens, but there has been little if any improvement.
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Jim Ratcliffe wants Amorim to have a full season in charge
Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe (Image credit: Getty Images)
Amorim’s tactical inflexibility and a less than stellar run of results since taking over from Erik ten Hag have earned him intense media scrutiny and left him vulnerable to the whims of football management’s fickle finger of fate.
But, while it’s understood that sacking Amorim would cost United £12 million, the head coach has previously been clear in his assertion that he would not resign.
Ruben Amorim is under pressure at Man United (Image credit: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Nevertheless, United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly decided against sacking Amorim and the perceived threat at Old Trafford is in fact that the former Sporting CP boss could quit, according to ‘Manchester United insiders’ as revealed by The i Paper.
“Amorim is understood to be taken aback by how much scrutiny is on a United manager and the knee-jerk reaction to every defeat,” reports Pete Hall.
“Another loss at home to Sunderland at the weekend would pile the pressure on Amorim yet further, with a growing number of supporters calling for a change in the managerial hot seat.
“However… co-owners Ineos is willing to be patient with the beleaguered Portuguese, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe described as “desperate” to give his manager a full season to prove himself.”
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim (Image credit: Getty Images)
As the prospect of results forcing Ratcliffe to change his mind intensifies, United sources claim that ‘there is a chance Amorim could jump’ and he could seek to protect his reputation from United’s ‘embarrassing’ results.
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The Red Devils finished last season in 14th place in the Premier League and have struggled to provide much evidence of an upward swing in form this term.
United have won two of their three home matches this season but lost to Arsenal on opening day and have been beaten away from Old Trafford by Manchester City and Brentford, conceding six goals in those two fixtures.
But Amorim’s lowest ebb might have come in the Carabao Cup second round – a stage of the competition United are unaccustomed to participating in at all – when he was unable to watch as his team lost on penalties after a dismal performance at Grimsby Town.
“Saturday’s Brentford defeat was seen as a real setback given the manner of the loss, especially on the back of a success over Chelsea the previous week. Ineos, however, is confident Amorim can learn from mistakes made in that game,” reports Hall.
United take on Sunderland on Saturday as Premier League action returns.
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