Amorim’s job is on the line after United’s defeat to Spurs in the Europa League final
Manchester United’s nightmare season had been brewing for months, but no one imagined that the final blow would come with such a bang. From the start of the season, the team showed signs of structural collapse. Constant injuries, confusing decisions from the dugout and a dressing room without identity turned the club into a caricature of itself. The appointment of Ruben Amorim in the midst of the disaster was a desperate attempt to find a new direction, but without the time or tools to turn around a broken project from within. They reached the Europa League final by inertia, without football or conviction.
Defeat to Tottenham in Bilbao sealed the worst possible outcome for a club that, not so long ago, was pitted against the big boys. Brennan Johnson’s clumsy goal before half-time was enough for Spurs to lift their first trophy in 17 years. But it was not the result, it was the manner. United offered very little, as if the shirt no longer carried any weight.
Luke Shaw’s verdict on Ruben Amorim’s future after Manchester United suffered a loss against Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Europa League
With no Champions League, out of all European competition in 2025/26 and anchored in 16th place in the Premier League with just one game to play, the club appear to have hit rock bottom. Luke Shaw spoke after the game and defended Amorim, stressing that the Portuguese manager has understood the club’s internal problems, not just in sporting terms, but in general attitude. He insisted that, while the results have been disappointing, Amorim has the clarity to spot what needs to be corrected, and the players must take their share of the mess.
Luke Shaw reacts after Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham, as speculation mounts over Ruben Amorim’s managerial future.
Luke Shaw reacts after Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham, as speculation mounts over Ruben Amorim’s managerial future.
“I think there’s a lot of things that need to be changed. I think that’s why Ruben is 100% the right person. He knows and he can see day in and day out at the club, not just on the pitch but off the pitch, around the club. The standards, the mindset, like I said, I think he sees everything. I think he knows what he needs to change. I think of course you can’t change everything at once. Of course I think the results have not been good at all. But I think ultimately it’s us as players that step onto that pitch. It’s us as players that need to take the responsibility of these results. Like I said, its not good enough for a club like this. I think this club should be at the top of the Premier League, fighting for big trophies. At the moment it’s hard to say but we’re nowhere near that.”
I agree with Shaw on one thing: the problem does not begin and end with the bench. Amorim inherited institutional and sporting chaos. The dressing room is exhausted, the leaders are not performing, and the club have a total disconnect between the board, the coaching staff and the squad. However, defending Amorim based solely on his ability to ‘see’ what is going on is dangerous.
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What is needed now is not only to identify mistakes, but to correct them with deeds. Amorim has not, so far, demonstrated that he has a clear plan or the necessary influence to change such entrenched dynamics. Should he continue? Perhaps he should, but only if he is backed by firm decisions from above. Do a thorough clean-up, get rid of heavy names that no longer add up and put together a young, competitive group with hunger, not fame.
The other approach that should not be ignored is that of the fans. Frustration is at an all-time high. If the club insist on continuing with unwise decisions, they will lose the only thing it has left: their people. Backing Amorim makes sense only if it is part of a real reconstruction without make-up, otherwise, everything will remain the same. United need less promises and more deeds, fewer excuses and more responsibility. Let them keep Amorim, yes, but with a whole project behind him. If there are no real changes, next season will be just as pathetic.