British football journalist David Ornstein has made a very valid point when discussing Rúben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United.
After taking charge for the final six months of last season, Rúben Amorim’s first full campaign at Manchester United has started poorly, with just one win, one draw, and three defeats in the early stages of 2025/26.
The season began with a narrow 1-0 loss to Arsenal, a game that showed glimpses of promise despite the result. That was followed by a drab 1-1 draw away at Fulham, before United were humiliated in the Carabao Cup, crashing out to League Two side Grimsby Town on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
Their first and only win so far came against Burnley, sealed by Bruno Fernandes’ stoppage-time penalty in a 3-2 victory.
However, any momentum quickly vanished after the international break, as Amorim’s side were outclassed in a 3-0 defeat to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, intensifying doubts over the head coach’s future at Old Trafford.
Ornstein share verdict on Amorim’s tenure
David Ornstein is widely regarded as the gospel voice of breaking football stories and is widely trusted by United fans for his accurate and exclusive information. Recently, he has broken the moves of Leny Yoro, Benjmamin Šeško, and Bryan Mbeumo to Old Trafford.
Speaking on the Back Pages podcast, the British journalist shared his verdict on Amorim’s future at United, commenting that although those within the club point to improved performance metrics, the results still aren’t good enough.
“Well, it hasn’t gone to plan is an understatement,” Ornstein said. “Not even a year since he was appointed, and things are looking bleak again. It’s a bit of a sense of Groundhog Day. When you speak to people around United, they’re very keen and quick to point out that the performance metrics are up.
“There’s a piece by Martin Samuel in The Times that sort of makes a bit of a mockery of that, because it’s these results, it’s putting the ball in the back of the net, and they’re not doing that nearly enough. I think it’s logical to understand that this can’t continue.
When asked about whether Amorim has three games to save his job, which has been reported in the media, Ornstein replied, “I don’t know about a set number of games. I don’t think United are minded to be changing manager again already.”
Ornstein is right, results trump everything else
When Amorim first joined the club, he made it clear that he understood that being manager of Manchester United was a results business, and that if he did not produce results during his opening months as boss, he would be in trouble.
Since then, despite the perceived improved performance metrics that have been referenced so far this season, Amorim is yet to win back-to-back Premier League games – and he has now managed a total of 31.
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United have 31 points in the league since the head coach joined, the lowest of all non-relegated or promoted Premier League sides in that period, and Ornstein’s notion that this can’t continue is true.
The British journalist pointed out that, at the end of the day, United are not putting the ball in the back of the net enough, and this is a valid point – it was the crux of the club’s problems last season, and it’s the same thus far.
Amorim needs to make changes quickly, or his job will be at risk.
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