If the events of Thursday morning are any indication, Ruben Amorim may be in danger of continuing Erik ten Hag’s tragic path. Hours after one of the most humiliating evenings in Manchester United’s history, the struggling manager was seen arriving at the Carrington training complex at the break of day.
On Wednesday, League Two minnows Grimsby Town unexpectedly defeated United in the Carabao Cup. The outcome was a stunning upset that will rank among the biggest surprises of the season. Amorim’s team lost in a thrilling penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in regular time, raising major questions about his future at Old Trafford. Determined to salvage anything from the catastrophe, the Portuguese coach showed up at the training ground long before 7am the following morning. But this action is strikingly similar to Ten Hag’s, who took the same action after a heartbreaking 3-0 loss to Tottenham the previous season. And a lot of people at the time identified that as the beginning of the Dutchman’s decline.
Following a poor conclusion to the previous season, Ten Hag’s final season began under close observation, much like Amorim’s currently. His removal always seemed certain until it was formally announced in October 2024, and the results never improved. Despite the obvious warning signs, Amorim will be desperate to avoid making the same mistakes twice.
After three games, United has yet to win, and his miserable 35% win percentage as manager raises the possibility of change. Grimsby jumped out to a resounding 2-0 lead at halftime, and Amorim looked defeated on the touchline at Blundell Park. Harry Maguire and Bryan Mbeumo gave United hope with two goals in the second half, but the comeback was unsuccessful in the shootout as summer additions Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo both missed 12-yard shots.
When pressed to clarify what had gone awry, Amorim offered a dim assessment of his players and said: “Everything. The way we started the game, we were not even here. When everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it’s a problem in our club, we should do so much better. I just have to say sorry to our fans.
“I felt my players spoke really loud today what they want. I think it’s easy for you [how to interpret it]. Let’s focus on the next game and then we have the stop for the international games. We will think things through. Doesn’t matter [that we lost on penalties]. In the penalties, the feeling is the same. I think football was really fair today. The best team won.
“I’m the manager. It should be my job to understand what happened. Again, I’m really sorry for our fans. Let’s focus on the next game. That is more than a result. That is the biggest problem in the team. I think it was really clear today.
“I would like to say very smart things and very important things. I have nothing to say. Nothing to say. That is the biggest problem also. To see the same mistakes and nothing to say in this moment. I’m really sorry for our fans. It’s too much sometimes.
“You cannot change so much. You cannot change everything in one summer. You need to win games. You need to not show this kind of performance. I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change. In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend and then we have time to think.”
Just after one in the morning, the United coach arrived in Carrington. Amorim and other staff and players made their way to their cars before disappearing into the night. Hours later, the United manager returned to the training ground to resume his duties, while the majority went home to rest. He showed up over four hours before his team’s 11 a.m. practice, devoting himself to getting ready for Saturday’s crucial match against Burnley.
Given that United has just gained one point from their first two league games, that match already carries the weight of a must-win, bringing to mind unsettling memories of the previous campaign. Before the international break, victory would offer a glimmer of hope.
But anything short of three points risks intensifying the turmoil even further. And that would potentially be sufficient to set Amorim on the same exit path as Ten Hag.
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