Manchester United axe Amorim amid tensions, uneven results

Manchester United have sacked head coach Ruben Amorim after a turbulent 14-month spell in charge, the Premier League club said in a statement on Monday.

The Portuguese coach was appointed in November 2024, replacing Erik ten Hag, and oversaw a mixed period that included guiding United to the UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao last May. Despite that run, results and internal tensions appear to have weighed heavily on the club’s decision.

Amorim’s departure follows comments over the weekend in which he suggested uncertainty over his role at Old Trafford. After a 1–1 draw at Leeds on Sunday, he said he had joined the club as its manager rather than head coach, and hinted at behind-the-scenes friction over transfers and tactical control. He also suggested he could leave when his contract expires.


United are presently sixth in the table after a 1-1 draw at Leeds on Sunday and had finished 15th in the previous season.

"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 said in a statement.

Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday, the statement added.

Amorim leaves having steadied the club at times but unable to fully arrest United’s broader struggles for consistency and direction, as questions over structure and authority once again come to the fore at Old Trafford.