Seven key moments which led to Ruben Amorim's explosive Manchester United downfall

Manchester United’s decision to sack Ruben Amorim brings to an end a 14-month tenure that was punctuated by historic lows, tactical stubbornous and club-wide poor decisions.

The Portuguese coach was hired in November 2024 following the sacking of Erik ten Hag, who had put pen to paper on a new deal just months earlier.

Arriving with a reputation as one of Europe’s best young coaches having won two Primeira Liga titles with Sporting, Amorim was tasked with getting the out-of-sorts club back on track, but leaves when them sitting sixth in the Premier League table following an outburst to the media following Manchester United's 1-1 draw against Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday. So just how did we get here?

Tactical rigidity

When the dust has settled, Amorim’s spell at Old Trafford will probably be remembered most for his point-blank refusal to deviate from his favoured 3-4-3 formation.

When he arrived in November 2024 - and it is worth remembering that Amorim himself favoured waiting until next summer to take up the role - his squad did not have the personnel to play this system, with his full-backs not suited to a wing-back role and midfield players that left the centre of the park too exposed.

Amorim would say that ‘not even the Pope’ could make him change formation and this rigidity appears to have played a key part in the board’s decision to swing the axe. This also may have created a problem for the next boss, given the club’s summer recruitment was undertaken with Amorim’s now infamous 3-4-3 at the forefront of the decision-making.

The Marcus Rashford issue

Marcus Rashford scored in the second minute of Amorim’s first game, but this would prove to be the ultimate in false dawns for the player, the club and the manager.

It was soon clear that Amorim and Rashford were not on the same page and the Manchester-born forward was quickly bombed out on loan to Aston Villa last January, before heading to Barcelona in the summer. These two moves have seen the England man get his career back on track, with Manchester United banking only loan fees and failing to recoup a transfer fee for the England man.

Youth development

Amorim’s record of developing youth players was one of the reasons he got the job. Every successful Manchester United manager has been able to take advantage of the club’s youth set-up, but Amorim has squandered the opportunity to develop Old Trafford's most promising talents.

Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund were seen as untouchable talents in the 2024 summer window, only for Garnacho to join rivals Chelsea on a permanent deal, while Hojlund was dispatched to Napoli on loan.

More jarring for the Old Trafford faithful has been the treatment of Kobbie Mainoo, who went from a first-team regular who started the Euro 2024 final for England, to a bit-part player that has been shunted around the midfield in a number of roles, a victim of the square pegs in round holes issue that undermined Amorim’s 14-month spell.

History maker

The club’s 15th-place finish in the 2024/25 season was their worst for half a century, a fact not lost on Amorim himself.

“We are the being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United,” he admitted in January 2025 as he continued to get his head around the issues his team faced. Amorim would win just 27 points from 27 games in his first season and although there were improvements this season, it was clearly not enough for a club of Manchester United’s stature.

Europa League final defeat

The silver lining to Manchester United’s 15th-place finish last season was supposed to be their European form, with Amorim leading the club to the Europa League final, thanks to a thrilling run in the knockouts, including the dramatic comeback win over Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Awaiting them in the final were fellow strugglers Tottenham, who were also using Europe to mask a dire domestic campaign. The Red Devils simply did not turn up in a poor 1-0 defeat (their fourth loss to Spurs that season), meaning the trophy, plus a £100 million windfall following Champions League qualification, went to Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Grimsby humiliation

Amorim oversaw some extremely poor defeats - the reverses to Bournemouth, Brighton and ten-man Everton spring to mind immediately - but the Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town eclipses all of them.

Two late Manchester United goals took the tie to penalties after the fourth-tier side took a two-goal lead, but an epic 12-11 penalty shootout defeat saw Mariners fans taunt the 40-year-old with ‘sacked in the morning chants’, while the online discourse consisted of Amorim being memefied after he was shown with his tactics board on the touchline.

Endgame

The festive period is a typically intense part of the English calendar and it would prove to be the undoing of Amorim.

A terrible draw at home to Wolves - who had just two Premier League points on the board at the time - was followed by a 1-1 draw at rivals Leeds United, which saw Amorim fire shots at the club’s scouting department and sporting director in his post-match press conference. It took less than 24 hours for the club to then swing the axe.