Manchester United has dismissed Ruben Amorim after 14 months in charge, with former player Darren Fletcher installed as interim manager at Old Trafford
Tom James Phillips
10:39, 05 Jan 2026
Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim
Manchester United has fired Ruben Amorim(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester United has given Ruben Amorim his marching orders as manager. The Portuguese gaffer has bid farewell to Old Trafford following a challenging 14-month tenure, with his final match culminating in a 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Sunday.
The Red Devils currently occupy the sixth spot in the Premier League, a significant drop from their 15th place finish last season and a loss in the Europa League final.
The decision to sever ties with Amorim was taken by the club's top brass, including chief executive Omar Berada and director of football Jason Wilcox, after relations behind the scenes took a turn for the worse. Former United midfielder and current Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher will step into the breach as interim manager.
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Fletcher is set to take the reins for Wednesday night's away fixture at Burnley, with a permanent appointment not expected until the summer.
Reportedly, tensions reached boiling point after the stalemate at Elland Road, when Amorim launched into an unusual tirade, asserting that he saw himself as the "manager" of United rather than merely the "head coach".
"It's going to be like this for 18 months or until the board decide to change," Amorim stated. "That was my point, I want to finish with that. I'm not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy comes here to replace me."
The bookmakers have swiftly responded to the situation, with former Scottish international Fletcher emerging as the favourite for the permanent role at Old Trafford. BetVictor has him pegged as the 6/4 favourite, with current Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, Enzo Maresca and Michael Carrick all listed at 4/1.
Ruben Amorim has been fired by Man Utd
Ruben Amorim has been fired by Man Utd(Image: Getty Images)
The second half of the season will be dominated by speculation over who will take the reins at Old Trafford, as the club seeks to restore consistent success to Sir Matt Busby Way. Glasner, who led Palace to FA Cup glory last year and a maiden European campaign, could well weigh up his options.
Despite his achievements at Selhurst Park, there are question marks over his long-term future with the Eagles, and he has been linked with the United job previously. It's believed that he will depart Palace when his contract expires this summer, presenting United with an opportunity to secure a proven Premier League manager without a transfer fee.
Next Man United Manager Odds
Darren Fletcher - 6/4
Oliver Glasner - 4/1
Enzo Maresca - 4/1
Michael Carrick - 4/1
Xavi - 10/1
Laurent Blanc - 10/1
Ruud van Nistelrooy - 12/1
Mauricio Pochettino - 12/1
Gareth Southgate - 12/1
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - 14/1
Marco Silva- 14/1
Andoni Iraola - 14/1
Zinedine Zidane - 16/1
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