Ruben Amorim delivered a defiant response to suggestions that he should change his system at Manchester United following a 3-0 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday, implying the club will have to sack him if they lose faith in his philosophy.
Softfootball reported that United suffered their third defeat of the season, two in the Premier League and a Carabao Cup loss against League Two Grimsby Town as Pep Guardiola’s team ended their two-game losing streak with an easy win against their neighbors.
The loss left Amorim with a record of just 8 wins in 31 Premier League games since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag last November and once again exposed his refusal to abandon the tactical lineup he has operated since arriving at Old Trafford.
According to a post made by Fabrizio Romano via his X handle, following the Red Devil’s demolition by City, when asked by reporters if United’s poor results now merit a change in formation, Amorim said he had no intention of altering his approach.
The Portuguese tactician insisted that his game model is not the problem and has delivered a firm message to the club’s ownership group, INEOS that they will have to sack him before he changes his philosophy. The post reads:
Rúben Amorim: I will not change my phylosophy. I will continue with my ideas… if not, you have to chanfe change the man.
The loss leaves them with just four points from their opening four Premier League games and, after last season’s 15th-placed finish, the Portuguese remains under considerable pressure to deliver.
After nearly a year in charge, and having presided over a £236million spend in the summer transfer window, United fans are entitled to expect their team to be in a better place.
But they continue to regress, despite their summer additions and Amorim’s bold rhetoric about clear signs of progress. United were undone by basic mistakes that continue to cost them games, just as they did last season.
United may have offloaded players with a negative influence in Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Antony, but a deeper malaise remains within the squad, one for which Amorim will pay the price if he cannot turn the team’s fortunes around any time soon.
The Red Devils face Chelsea at Old Trafford next Saturday as the pressure begins to mount on Amorim, and another defeat could put the Portuguese in serious trouble, with some reports suggesting the former Sporting boss is already on thin ice.
