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Manchester United have terminated the contract of manager their Portuguese head coach after a little over a year in charge. The announcement comes amid a growing power struggle over January funds and even with the team's recent upturn in form.

The Final Straw

Relations between Amorim and the club's football department, particularly director of football the recruitment chief, had been fracturing for some time. The decisive moment is believed to have been public remarks made by the coach following Sunday's 1-1 draw with their rivals. He is said to have told the recruitment team to "focus on their duties," underscoring a fundamental rift.

"I came here 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 Miserable Tenure

On paper, the Portuguese manager's time at Old Trafford was difficult. He leaves with a record of victories of less than 39 per cent and a league points average of a meager 1.24 in the top flight. The team lost more games than it won in the calendar year 2025.

Paradoxically, his last matches in charge showed some resilience. United lost just one of his last eight matches and currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, just three points 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)

Club Announcement

In its official communication, the club presented the decision as one aimed at achieving the best possible seasonal position.

"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."

The Immediate Future

In the short term, club legend Darren Fletcher will take charge on an temporary basis. He is scheduled to be in the technical area for the next league fixture against the Clarets.

For the permanent role, bookmakers and pundits are speculating a number of possible successors. Names being linked include former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández, Oliver Glasner, Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate, and another promising coach.

Fan and Pundit Reaction

The sacking has sparked debate among the fanbase and commentators. Some cite the underwhelming results and tactics as justification, while others believe the ownership and directors must bear a large responsibility for continuous turmoil.

One viewpoint 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... INEOS 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 crazy to blame results when the team are joint fifth in the table... They’ve beaten top sides... and have lost only twice since 1 October. Just watching them you can see they’re a improved side than last year."

The search for a new manager and the quest for stability at Old Trafford begins anew.