Toluwani Lasisi
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is understood to retain the support of the club ownership despite Wednesday’s shock Carabao Cup defeat at League Two Grimsby.
Amorim has provoked question marks over his tenure with his own statements following the penalty shootout loss at Blundell Park, before which his side had to come back from two goals down having been outplayed for an hour.
However, sources with an understanding of the situation are adamant this uncertainty does not exist from the top down.
They say it was always felt the journey being taken under Amorim would be a long one and that the club want to avoid making short-term decisions based around a couple of poor results.
United have backed Amorim by spending £200m on attacking players this summer, while negotiations likely to end with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund joining Chelsea, Real Betis and Napoli respectively, are continuing.
The club are mindful that in the summer of 2024 they backed Erik ten Hag with a similar transfer budget, only to sack the Dutchman before the end of October.
The defeat at Grimsby was the first time United had lost to fourth-tier opposition, prompting club legend Wayne Rooney to say it was “clear for everyone to see that there’s something not right” at the club.
”There were a lot of positives against Arsenal and then Fulham was a disappointment. Then to go to Grimsby and lose with the best players involved in the game and the way they lost, it was disheartening,” said Rooney, speaking on the latest episode of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.
Amorim did not shirk media duties afterwards and spoke to in-house station MUTV on his bleak assessment of the situation.
”Let’s focus on the next game and then we have time to think about things,” he said.
”We have a job to do, a job to prepare, and then we will stop and think things through.”
The Portuguese manager opted not to clarify his comments, which even inside Old Trafford have been interpreted by some as the 40-year-old considering his future.
It is not the first time this has happened. It was reported he offered to resign at one stage last season, although this has never been confirmed. In the summer, Amorim described his desire to do a good job and emotional response when he doesn’t as “an ego thing”.
However, Rooney believes Amorim’s remarks point to deeper problems.
”His words were damning on the players,” said Rooney
”If your manager comes out with those words, there’s something broken.”
The former England striker said the Old Trafford job might be taking its toll on Amorim, whose previous managerial roles were in Portugal with Casa Pia, Braga and Sporting.
”What we forget is he’s only 40. He’s a young manager,” said Rooney.
”Manchester United is so different to where he’s been before. You come in and there’s the media team, the commercial team, the fans and the media.
”There’s a pressure with United, which he will never have felt before. When you’re not winning games, that can start to get [to you] and it looked like he was at a breaking point.”
Amorim is sure to be asked about his post-match comments when he speaks to the media on Friday afternoon before Saturday’s Premier League game against Burnley.
Immediately after the international break United go to Etihad Stadium for the first Manchester derby of the season. Chelsea visit Old Trafford the following week, while a trip to old rivals Liverpool looms on 19 October.
Amorim will also be asked to expand on his claim that his players “spoke really loud today what they want”. Even within the dressing room, which appeared so supportive of Amorim during a pre-season notable for the unity in the camp, there is uncertainty over what the former Sporting coach was saying.
”I don’t think the players weren’t trying. Maybe they were a bit complacent,” Rooney said.
”Maybe they’ve gone there thinking it’s a League Two team. You think, we’ll just turn up and win the game. That can happen.
”And then before you know it, the game’s gone away from you. So, it happens. It’ll happen again, probably in the next round to someone else. But just where United are at the minute, it’s hard to take, really.”
Few players who started last night’s game put forward a convincing case for selection against Burnley, including midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who completed the full 90 minutes, and goalkeeper Andre Onana, who was badly at fault for Grimsby’s second goal.
Eyebrows were also raised at £73.7m forward Benjamin Sesko being the last outfield player to take a penalty for United in the marathon shootout, which extended to 13 shots for each side.
Sources have said the decision was taken because Sesko was experiencing cramp having completed a first competitive 90 minutes since 19 April.
