Ruben Amorim may not have to wait long to find a new job if he parts ways with Manchester United in the near future amid a concerning start to the season.
A 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City in the Manchester derby on Sunday piled more pressure on Amorim, who was already feeling the heat. The Portuguese coach has overseen just one win so far this season, and the loss to City means he now has the worst win percentage of any permanent United boss since World War II.
The 40-year-old's stock was sky-high when he first arrived at Old Trafford, having led Sporting CP to two Liga Portugal titles. His charisma had been a huge hit back in his home country, and he was even viewed as a possible Pep Guardiola replacement at the Etihad.
Amorim Handed Shock Man Utd Escape Route
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Amorim said he wanted to stay at United "for 20 years" when speaking after a successful pre-season tour in the United States in July and August. But the Portuguese is breaking some sorry records, and the latest has seen him become the manager behind the club's worst start to a season in 33 years.
The Portuguese had broken many records back in Portugal and successfully transformed Sporting into the biggest club in his homeland. There were concerns at the start of his reign, but he soon propelled Leoes back into title winners at the expense of FC Porto and Benfica.
It appears this success means he still has admirers in Liga Portugal, as he is at the top of Benfica presidential candidate Joao Noronha Lopes' wishlist. talkSPORT has claimed that the leading candidate for the role is keen on replacing the under-fire Bruno Lage with Amorim, who spent years at the Estadio da Luz as a player.
Lopes is the heavy favourite to become the club's new president and replace Rui Costa as he leads the polls ahead of next month's election. He seemed to back up those reports on Sunday as he was present at the Etihad alongside vice-president Nuno Gomez and general director Pedro Ferreria to watch Amorim's United fall to defeat in the derby.
Benfica vice-president Gomes knows Amorim well, as he played with the Red Devils tactician at club level and in Portugal's national team. He had made clear to the media that there was interest in bringing his close friend back to the Primera Liga.
Amorim has just under two years left on his contract with United. Still, there is the same feeling of inevitability of the sack among fans that ensued in the latter stages of Erik ten Hag and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's spells in charge. He seemingly has the backing of INEOS, but the same can't be said for his players.
Man Utd Players 'Losing Faith' in Amorim
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While there doesn't appear to be any issues between Amorim and his players from a personal aspect, they seem to be growing frustrated with his stubbornness over his three-at-the-back philosophy. He insisted after the Manchester derby that if you want to change the system, you have to "change the man".
Sun Sport reports that some of his squad aren't sold on the three-man defensive setup, which he has refused to switch up despite the nightmare run of results during his tenure. He implemented the system as soon as he replaced Ten Hag in November 2024, and it has failed to reap its rewards.
The main problem Amorim has found is that none of the squad he took over suits the 3-4-2-1 formation, and this means a complete overhaul is required. Amad has moved to wing-back, where he has to learn an entirely new position, and the wantaway Kobbie Mainoo's development has been derailed.
Their Portuguese coach hasn't been afraid to upset players either, forcing Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho out of Old Trafford. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS team have backed Amorim with a rebuild, but they cut frustrated figures in the stands at the Etihad during the City defeat.