Ruben Amorim’s tenure as Manchester United manager is hanging by a thread following a crushing 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.
More than just a missed opportunity for silverware, Manchester United’s 1-0 loss in Bilbao highlighted a season of underperformance, concluding in their lowest Premier League finish since the 1973-74 relegation campaign.
Their loss to Tottenham Hotspur, a team barely above the relegation zone in 17th was a painful reminder of how far the club has fallen and has left many questioning if Ruben Amorim is the man to steer the Old Trafford ship back to glory.
With a substantial reputation from Sporting CP, the Portuguese manager was appointed to replace Erik ten Hag and in order to spark a revolution to a side that were 13th on domestic table and seven points from a Champions League place.
Yet, six months later his tenure has been marked by a truly dismal league record, United are 16th with 24 points from 26 games, averaging a mere 0.92 points per game and with shocking 27 points gap to fifth position, and for only the second time in 35 years, will not compete in Europe.
This puts him in an undesirable position as the manager with the worst record at a ‘big six’ club after 26 league matches. A concerning 39% overall win rate at United pales in comparison to the impressive 88.9% he maintained at Sporting CP earlier in the season. It is clear Amorim is yet to deliver on the high expectations placed upon him.
In the post-match press conference, club captain Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw voiced their support towards their manager saying that they have faith in him and that the best is yet to come.
However, faith alone will not suffice for a club of Manchester United’s stature.
The next few days will be crucial for the future of Ruben Amorim. Will the hierarchy continue to back him or shall they embark on a search for a new manager man in the likes of Massimiliano Allegri, Kieran McKenna or even a potential sensational return for Jose Mourinho?
