Amorim’s legacy: Eight things the Portuguese head coach achieved at United

Ruben Amorim has been sacked as head coach of Manchester United. Many believe this was the right decision by INEOS after more than a year of mediocrity from an expensively assembled United squad. However, some fans bought into the Portuguese’s vision and felt that, although it was taking time, solid foundations were being laid rather than castles being built on sand. Here are 10 things Ruben Amorim did for Manchester United. 1. He turned Harry Maguire from zero to hero. The England man had completely lost his way under Erik ten Hag and, approaching 30 years of age, looked to be heading for football obscurity. However, Maguire flourished in Amorim’s three-at-the-back system and played his best football since leaving Leicester City under the former Sporting CP manager. 2. He gave United an identity. Whether it was an identity fans liked or not, the fact is that Amorim inherited a club with no clear pattern of play, no recognisable system or style. His 3-4-3 with attacking wing-backs and a high press was trademark Amorim. It took some players a long time to get used to it, but it was arguably starting to bear more regular fruit just before we bid adeus to the 40-year-old. 3. He gave Amad wings. Many forget that Ten Hag did not believe Amad was physically robust enough for the Premier League, overlooking the Ivorian for the majority of the time. Amorim did not hesitate to introduce him into his starting XI. The result: along with Bruno Fernandes, Amad was the standout performer of the 2024/25 season. 4. He talked Bruno Fernandes out of leaving. When Saudi Arabia came calling in the summer with a mouth-watering offer, the United skipper was tempted. And when he saw the dollar signs in INEOS’ eyes as they beckoned him out of the door, he felt betrayed and packed his bag. It was Amorim who came to the rescue, begging him to stay and convincing him that there was something to stay for. 5. He crushed player power Since Sir Alex left, every manager that followed “lost the dressing room” or at least, a part of it. Players downed tools for David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, José Mourinho was sacked due to his rift with Paul Pogba, and there were rumours of players having no respect for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and thinking Erik ten Hag did not know what he was doing. The likes of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho went up against Amorim early on, but he stamped his authority and they were summarily despatched. As far as we can tell, until the moment he was sacked, Amorim commanded respect from his players. 6. He managed injuries well Ten Hag’s list of injuries was always among the longest in the Premier League. Amorim has rarely had more than three out at any one time. Whilst there is luck involved, the difference in training methods also comes into play. Also, when United were struggling, Ten Hag would bring a player back from injury prematurely in his desperation to win, often resulting in them incurring a worse injury. Amorim consistently resisted the urge to do that, even when he also had players out due to AFCON. 7. He got Casemiro playing again Like Maguire, Casemiro looked to be heading out to pasture when Amorim took the reins at Old Trafford. The Brazilian looked as though his legs had gone. He was lunging into tackles, getting sent off with alarming regularity. He had become a liability. Amorim was not afraid to drop the four-time Champions League winner, even picking young Toby Collyer ahead of him at times. He found a way to motivate Casemiro and tweaked his role to suit his current game better. The result was a rejuvenated player who also regained his place in, and the captaincy of, the Brazil national side. 8. He got the team into the European spots despite a paper-thin squad Even though 2025/26 has been a frustrating and disappointing season for most fans, on the day Amorim was sacked, United sat in sixth place in the Premier League. INEOS had delivered him three forwards in the summer window and he had put them to great use, with his side the second highest scorers in the league. The defence was still a shambles, but there had been no money left to also strengthen in midfield or at the back. Overall, two experienced stars and two youngsters came in – Cunha, Mbeumo, Lammens and Sesko – but nine senior players had left: Onana, Evans, Lindelof, Eriksen, Sancho, Rashford, Hojlund, Antony and Garnacho. Getting to sixth with five senior players fewer than the previous year deserves some credit. Featured image Julian Finney via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Red Billy Red Billy is the managing editor of The Peoples Person, author of three books and two magazines and totally obsessed with football’s transfer market. Billy first saw United live in 1971, watching George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law, before becoming a League Match ticket book holder from 1975/76 and a writer since 1995. Billy still insists Matteo Darmian and Alex Telles could have made it at United given half a chance.