Ruben Amorim sacked live: Gary Neville breaks silence as surprise candidate named on Man Utd shortlist
Amorim was in charge for 14 months but was relieved of his duties on Monday morning
Ruben Amorim has been sacked as head coach of Manchester United with the club deciding to part ways with the Portuguese manager following a run of disappointing results and a media outburst from the manager aimed at the club’s hierarchy.
Amorim was first appointed by Manchester United’s minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe in November 2024 following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag on a contract running until the summer of 2027.
He spent 14 months in charge of Man Utd but was relieved of his duties following a meeting with Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. Amorim’s dismissal comes following his comments after the draw with Leeds United over the club’s hierarchy interfering with his role as manager. His leaves United sitting sixth in the Premier League table and 17 points behind leaders Arsenal.
U18s head coach and club legend Darren Fletcher will take interim charge of the first team for the match against Burnley on Wednesday.
Follow all the latest updates on Ruben Amorim’s sacking with our live blog below:
Man United identify top candidate to replace Ruben Amorim
Manchester United see Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner as a top candidate to succeed Ruben Amorim, as they currently lean towards a summer appointment of a permanent coach.
INEOS' football leadership now have another big decision to make, after a series of missteps that have left the club facing up to another restart. The club will assess some of the names they looked at back in the summer of 2024, including Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna, although there is also appreciation for the job that Enzo Maresca has done at Chelsea.
Some sources also maintain that Julian Nagelsmann could have a chance, as the increasingly influential United recruitment director, Christopher Vivell, knows his work well from Red Bull. Nagelsmann may also want a return to club football after the 2026 World Cup with Germany.
Man Utd identify top candidate to replace Amorim as club favour summer appointment
How Man United can finally break their cycle of doom after Amorim sacking
Ruben Amorim’s press conference at Leeds United may have offered up his final word at Manchester United, but that was largely because the Portuguese already had an idea he was facing up to his final days.
Well-placed sources say the club’s hierarchy met last Thursday (1 January) to discuss the manager’s situation, among other issues with the team, which was quite a way to start the new year.
The nature of the 1-1 draw with Wolves is now seen as having brought a shift, as tension was rising.
Who is Darren Fletcher? Manchester United legend taking charge after Ruben Amorim sacking
Manchester United are now manager-less after head coach Ruben Amorim was sacked on Monday, bringing an end to a turbulent 14 months at the club.
No replacement has yet been announced, with club legend Darren Fletcher taking interim charge for United’s next match.
The former Red Devils midfielder, who is currently under-18s head coach, will be in the dugout for Wednesday’s visit to strugglers Burnley.
Who is Darren Fletcher? Manchester United legend in charge after Ruben Amorim sacking
The glaring problems left by Ruben Amorim that Man United’s next manager must fix
Ruben Amorim is gone and Manchester United are back in the sea of uncertainty. The solution to a 13-year problem - the search for a guiding figurehead post-Sir Alex Ferguson - remains as distant as it’s ever been.
Amorim arrived at Old Trafford to much fanfare off the back of a stellar reign at Sporting CP. He’d been courted by Liverpool as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp before their hierarchy landed on Arne Slot.
The glaring problems left for Ruben Amorim’s successor to fix at Man United
Amorim leaves United sixth in table
Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United has been a frustrating one but signs were positive that the club was slowly progressing.
United currently sit sixth in the Premier League table and are only three points off a place in the top four.
They are however 17 points behind the leaders Arsenal and haven’t been seen as likely title challengers under Amorim.
Amorim's falling out with the Man Utd board
Ruben Amorim had alluded to frustration behind the scenes in the build-up to the match against Leeds.
He also looked downbeat when sidestepping questions about transfer plans.
“Guys, to start with that – and I noticed that you receive selective information about everything – I came here to be the manager of the Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United,” Amorim said. “And that is clear.
“I know that my name is not (Thomas) Tuchel, it’s not (Antonio) Conte, it’s not (Jose) Mourinho but I’m the manager of Manchester United.
“And it’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change, so that was my point.
“I want to finish with that. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”
Ruben Amorim’s exit is further proof that the Premier League is now ‘run by LinkedIn’
Ruben Amorim’s Sunday press conference might have surprised the United hierarchy, but it didn’t influence anything – other than, perhaps, timings.
The club’s football leadership, Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, watched the 1-1 draw at Leeds United – Sir Alex Ferguson sitting behind them – knowing that this was likely to be the manager’s last game.
They had made the decision to change coach in the days prior, after a meeting about concerns on New Year’s Day escalated into a blow-up with the coach himself on Friday. One of the reasons for Amorim’s explosive press conference was that he wanted to go out at least stating his own terms, if not quite on his own terms.
Amorim’s exit is further proof that the Premier League is now ‘run by LinkedIn’
Enzo Maresca and seven other candidates to be next Man United manager
Ruben Amorim has been sacked as Manchester United head coach after 14 months in charge.
The Portuguese manager led the Red Devils to last season’s Europa League final but lost the showpiece match to Tottenham Hotspur, meaning they missed out on a Champions League place.
Enzo Maresca and seven other candidates to be next Man United manager
How overhyped Ruben Amorim’s reign of error leaves Man United with a damning conclusion
“I am a little bit of a dreamer,” smiled Ruben Amorim. “Call me naive, but I truly feel that I am the right man in the right moment.”
That was at his unveiling as Manchester United manager, before the dream turned into a nightmare, before naivety felt the least of his mistakes.
As Amorim’s reign of error ends, it is apparent that it was the wrong moment for him. But also that he was the wrong man.
How Ruben Amorim’s reign of error leaves Man Utd with a damning conclusion
Where did Ruben Amorim rank among Man United’s worst managers?
Ruben Amorim’s torrid time as Manchester United manager has come to an end, leaving an unenviable legacy in his wake at Old Trafford.
Arriving to much hype after a spectacular reign at Sporting CP, Amorim failed to inspire a change of fortunes in his 14 months at United and instead oversaw a drastic decline in results.
His miserable first season culminating in a 15th-place league finish, further compounded by humiliation in the Europa League final at the hands of Tottenham.
Where did Ruben Amorim rank among Man United’s worst managers?
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