INEOS were furious with Amorim’s criticism of “sensational” forward after brutal bust-up with Mainoo in training – report

Manchester United were “unhappy” with Ruben Amorim’s treatment of the club’s best young talent as the explosive fallout from the head coach’s dismissal today continues to spill out of Old Trafford. INEOS turns on their man Across 14 months in charge of the Red Devils, Amorim was able to muster just 15 wins, 13 draws and a staggering 19 losses in the Premier League. Though performances are improved from his debut campaign – United’s worst league campaign in over half a century – the football remains turgid at times, with little evidence the team are fully getting to grips with his 3-4-2-1 system. Against this backdrop of uncertainty, the main source of Amorim’s security in his position at the Theatre of Dreams has come from INEOS’s steadfast support of the Portuguese. It borders on baffling, therefore, that he would choose to publicly turn on his employers in a bombastic post-match interview after the draw with Leeds United on Sunday afternoon. And it’s little surprise the response from club’s rulers was to dismiss him the following morning. Official confirmation followed David Ornstein’s exclusive, with Darren Fletcher appointed as an interim manager while a permanent caretaker is sourced – with Michael Carrick a frontrunner for the role. United’s preference over the long-term replacement for Amorim appears to be to wait until the summer – potentially after the World Cup – when the pool of high-level candidates will grow significantly. But INEOS will have to consider the cultural identity at Old Trafford when selecting their next leader, with a commitment to developing youngsters central to the club’s ethos, something Amorim fell foul of. Criticising the Kids The Sun reveals United executives were furious with Amorim’s public criticism of Patrick Dorgu, Chido Obi and Harry Amass, while the deterioration of his relationship with Kobbie Mainoo was a source of grave concern. In November, the 40-year-old coach stated “you can feel the anxiety” every time Dorgu touched the ball, when asked to explain why his side had struggled to unlock 10-man Everton, referencing the Dane’s ineffectiveness down the left-hand side, while omitting his own decision not to change from his three-man defensive set-up. A month later, he rejected claims he did not promote youth players by declaring Amass was “struggling” on loan at Sheffield Wednesday – the left-back has won back-to-back Player of the Month awards at Hillsbrough – and highlighting the fact Obi was not a regular in Under-21’s, despite picking up injuries this season. To respond to criticism of your own choices by outsourcing the blame onto youngsters in the infancy of their senior careers is an unwise move, no matter how accurate your assessment may be – especially at a footballing institution like United. These comments are understood to have “went down badly with the club hierarchy,” as did Amorim’s treatment of Mainoo – the prized jewel of the youth system.  The Sun reports well-placed sources reveal the pair had a “shouting match at Carrington towards the end of last season” with the altercation perhaps explaining Mainoo’s peripheral role this campaign. Kobbie Mainoo’s stats 2025/26 CompetitionMatchesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League11––––212′ EFL Cup1-1––90′ Total12-1––302′ Amorim repeatedly claimed Mainoo was in competition with Bruno Fernandes for the No 8 role in midfield as an explanation, yet often chose to bring Manuel Ugarte on before the 20-year-old technician, despite United chasing a goal. In many ways, it feels as if the Portuguese coach made too many enemies in his short time in Manchester. INEOS consistently backed him when it came to disputes over players, but to go after the club’s academy graduates, before aiming his scope at the executive branch themselves, was never a fight a manager with his dismal record was going to emerge unscathed from – the latest, and final, loss of his United career. 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 Darragh Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.