There is this ever-growing pressure on Ruben Amorim, and the Portuguese head coach has been walking a fine thread at M16.
While he was brought to Old Trafford with a keen understanding of long-term stability, there have been whispers of discontent among the supporters as well as the chiefs behind the scenes, which continue to grow. And that has not been helped by an inconsistent start that United have had in the 2025/26 campaign, complicated by his tactical stubbornness, which has seen frustrations rise among the supporters and pundits.
And now with Xavi Hernandez available, Manchester Reds are at a crossroads.
There have been reports of the decision-makers at Old Trafford considering a possible move to bring the Spaniard to M16 given his credentials and success on the touchline while in charge of Barcelona.
But let’s speak about Amorim first…
Should Manchester United sack Ruben Amorim to appoint Xavi? - Opinion.
Ruben Amorim is under huge pressure at Manchester United despite the win against Sunderland
Let’s be clear that sacking Amorim would be a massive diversion from the initial plans by Sir Jim Ratcliffe & Co., and it could also turn out to be a premature one. They brought in the 40-year-old for a reason. His work at Sporting CP showed that he has that capacity to build a side that is cohesive yet modern. He showed that he operates on a defined tactical philosophy, which was something that the club lacked. Amorim has this 3-4-3 structure which is quite committed to pressing in structure. He also has this commitment to developing young players.
On paper, this aligned to the direction where United wanted to head.
And while the results have been inconsistent, you need to understand that the squad still carries structural imbalances left by Ten Hag at M16.
And while we have seen flashes of what this team can do under Amorim. There is still a long way to go. But we have seen United having that capacity to play against strong opponents, sticking to their system. But this foundation needs time; the question is, can United afford to give it?
But then there is a possible chance to land Xavi
Should Manchester United sack Ruben Amorim to appoint Xavi? - Opinion.
Xavi has been linked to Manchester United
If we look at the other side of the coin, United can bring in Xavi on the touchline if they decide to vacate that head coach position. Xavi showed his abilities with Barcelona, where he took a flawed roster and started implementing a sense of structure and unity. And then flowed a clear identity with his side played on the pitch.
He not only survived what was then a chaotic Camp Nou, but he delivered the La Liga title at Barcelona.
If we speak about his managerial ideologies, they are exactly what you’d expect of someone who has learnt the ABCs of things at the Catalina Giants. He likes control with the ball and of the sequences and is quite heavy on positional discipline. Suddenly you’d see small and big triangles across the pitch with balls travelling between one another.
But it is also a big psychological shift to have Xavi at the helm. His stature alone would command a certain sense of respect in a dressing room that has often lacked leadership. And unlike Amorim, he is someone who has proved himself at this level. See, the thing is, Xavi has faced (and come out with flying colours) pressure from every angle possible, given that he was at one of football’s most political clubs.
And then we saw that he pushes young players and has this ball-dominant preference, both of which are still reaping Barcelona some massive benefits.
WAFU Opinion
There is this new shining toy syndrome at play here to a certain extent with a lot of fans when they hear Xavi taking charge. But we feel that you just shouldn’t sack Amorim because there is Xavi available, but behind the scenes the decision-makers need to ascertain progress (in whatever way they feel is right).
Amorim was brought in at M16 with a long-term vision. And you don’t pull the plug this early unless the dressing room is lost or the performances are irreparable. Neither is the case just yet. And this isn’t blind faith. Amorim should be under pressure (like he surely is), but pressure shouldn’t be treated as panic.
The real mistake would be returning to the old habit that we have seen a bit too much at Carrington, chasing the next name as soon as things get uncomfortable.
Let me be honest, Xavi is a brilliant football mind. But at Manchester United the problems haven’t been a lack of good managers. It’s been a lack of commitment to any of them.
Do you think United should sack Amorim? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.