Fine margins: the jaw-dropping stat which proves how unlucky Amorim was to face brutal United sack

Ruben Amorim’s tumultuous reign as Manchester United head coach was brought to an end last Monday after a breakdown in relations with the Old Trafford hierarchy. The Portuguese coach was given his marching orders despite United being relatively well placed in the Premier League, but having dropped some unforgivable points in recent weeks. Drab performances against Everton, West Ham and Wolves in front of home support left Amorim’s position under threat, and his spiky press conference after the draw at Leeds was the final straw for the United board. Bad luck more than bad tactics? Much was made of Amorim’s now infamous 3-4-3 system, with a host of pundits and former players insisting the formation would never work at the Theatre of Dreams. However, despite the rocky results against poor opposition, Amorim would point to some key underlying numbers that could have made all the difference to the perception of this season. As confirmed by WhoScored, United have rattled the woodwork 15 times this season, putting them top of the table in that particular stat since the start of the campaign. Manchester United have hit the woodwork more times than any other Premier League side this season (15). 🚨 Bruno Fernandes alone has hit it 5 times, more than any other player. 👀#MUFC pic.twitter.com/oWZ4KQckpk — WhoScored (@WhoScored) January 9, 2026 United have shown they are more than capable of creating chances this term and have scored a handy number of goals, as well as coming close on multiple occasions. Had even half of those strikes found the net rather than hitting the woodwork, it is highly likely United would have gathered points that would have seen them potentially nestled in the top echelons of the league table. A consistent top-four spot would have certainly eased conversations regarding Amorim’s formation and possibly given the former Sporting CP boss more time to build the squad in his image. In spite of the indifferent results, Amorim’s sacking was not universally backed as much as previous managers and, with more time and a shift in lady luck, he might well have turned things around in Manchester. No signs of the curse lifting just yet However, the bad luck does not start and end with Amorim, as United struck both the post and the bar in Darren Fletcher’s maiden game in interim charge of the club. Bruno Fernandes and Shea Lacey both came within inches of adding to the scoreline against Burnley on Wednesday night, and if just one of them had gone in, United would surely have left Turf Moor with three points rather than one. Fernandes, incidentally, is responsible for striking the woodwork five times so far this season – another Premier League high. Fletcher and United will be desperate for the curious curse to lift in the coming weeks, with the team needing all the help they can get to finish in the European places come the end of the campaign. United welcome Brighton to Old Trafford in the FA Cup tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon in the hope of igniting a cup run that would breathe life into a season that could otherwise end with a whimper. Featured image Carl Recine 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 Conner Botterill Conner Botterill has been with The Peoples Person for three years. A keen match-going red with degrees in Sport and Journalism and Philosophy and Psychology through the Open University. His favourite match attended was the Champions League victory in Paris under one the guidance of one of his idols, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Conner still believes he has a chance of making United’s first team through his 5-a-side career.