Pressure is rapidly mounting on Ruben Amorim after Manchester United’s catastrophic loss to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup – but INEOS continue to throw their full weight behind the Portuguese coach.
From Hero to Zero
In the aftermath of the defeat to Arsenal on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, Amorim would have felt a sense of positivity.
He had watched his side outperform Mikel Arteta’s men at Old Trafford and fully deserved all three points, only for an error by Altay Bayindir to gift the Gunners a smash-and-grab win.
It felt like progress in performance – and this would be matched by results further down the line. At least that was the theory, but practice rarely matches up.
Last night, Amorim appeared at a loss for words to explain the defeat on penalties to Grimsby. It was a horrendous result and an abysmal performance – the type which immediately calls into question the future of the manager who presides over it, no matter how secure their position.
But for a coach who has struggled to the extent Amorim has since arriving in Manchester to replace Erik ten Hag last November, it had the potential to prove a death knell.
INEOS remain behind their choice
INEOS remain “determined to stick” with Amorim despite the embarrassing cup exit at the hands of a League Two side, The Times reveals.
The Portuguese coach “retains the backing” of the United board and will be in charge for Saturday’s match against Burnley in the Premier League.
The report states, “it is understood that Amorim still has the backing of the board, including the United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.” He is “prepared” to give Amorim more time to steady a ship which appears precariously close to sinking.
But the report counters that that “patience will, most likely, be put to the test in the coming weeks if United continue to struggle to win matches.”
Performances alone will not be sufficient to save Amorim – he now needs results to pair with them.
An Escape to Portugal?
There is one side who will be watching United’s matches in the coming weeks with a keen eye: Portuguese giant, Benfica.
Despite managing their rivals, Sporting CP, Amorim enjoyed a successful playing career with The Eagles, winning three Liga Portugal titles.
And The Times reveals João Noronha Lopes, a candidate in the Benfica presidential election, is believed to be “hopeful of luring Amorim back to the club” as a manager.
Lopes will be “assisted” in his campaign by Nuno Gomes, the former Benfica and Blackburn Rovers attacker who just so happens to be one of Amorim’s closest friends.
“[Amorim is] an excellent coach, under contract with Manchester United,” Lopes stated. “I won’t destabilise Benfica. They have a very important match ahead of them.”
Whether Amorim would consider a return to Portugal to play for Sporting’s bitter local rival is a hypothetical for another day. But the fact that it’s a question even in the conversation shows what a monumental shift has occurred at Old Trafford over the past seven days.
Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
