Manchester United SACK Amorim: Abysmal Win Rate Defines Worst Era Since Ferguson

Ruben Amorim has been sacked by Manchester United after a turbulent 14 months, leaving with the worst win rate of any post-Ferguson manager. United turn to Darren Fletcher as caretaker boss.

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A Short Tenure That Felt Endless

Manchester United have lived through chaos before. Since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down in 2013, the club has lurched from rebuild to reset, from big-name managers to big-budget mistakes. But even in that turbulent decade, few eras felt quite as bleak — or embarrassing — as the 14 months under Ruben Amorim.

On Monday, United finally called time on the Portuguese coach’s reign, confirming he had been sacked with immediate effect, 14 months after arriving from Sporting Lisbon in November 2024.

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What Manchester United Said

A club statement read: “Ruben Amorim has departed his role as head coach of Manchester United.

Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May.

With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.

The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future. Darren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesday.”

Club statement: Ruben Amorim.

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) January 5, 2026

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Worst Season For Manchester United Since Ferguson

Behind the politeness of that statement lies a harsher truth: Amorim presided over the worst season in more than half a century, saw United finish 15th in the league, and leaves with a win percentage of just 36.92% — the lowest of any United manager since Ferguson retired.

Compare that to the others:

• Jose Mourinho — 58.33%
• Erik ten Hag — 54.69%
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — 54.17%
• David Moyes — 52.94%
• Louis van Gaal — 52.43%
• Ruben Amorim — 36.92%

There’s no escaping it. On the numbers alone, Amorim sits firmly at the bottom.

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From Big Promise to Bitter Reality

When Amorim arrived, hope still existed. He was billed as a forward-thinking coach; someone who could modernise the football and work with the new sporting structure. Instead, his tenure unravelled into frustration, miscommunication, fan anger — and finally, open rebellion.

United’s worst league finish in decades eroded whatever belief remained. Even reaching the Europa League final, where United lost to Tottenham in Bilbao, couldn’t disguise the disaster unfolding at home.

By the end, he wasn’t just fighting for points. He was fighting his own club.

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The Rant That Broke the Dam

The final straw came after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Leeds, when Amorim exploded in public — attacking the club hierarchy and insisting he was supposed to be more than just a head coach.

He said:

“I noticed that you received selective information about everything. I came here to be the manager of Manchester United… not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear.

I know my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, it’s not [Antonio] Conte, it’s not [Jose] Mourinho, but I am the manager of Manchester United and it’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decide to change. That was my point and I want to finish with that. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until other guy is coming here to replace me.

I just want to say that I am going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach and I was really clear on that. And that is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal, that is my job… not to be a coach. If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles, the criticism, everything… we need to change the club. I just want to say that.

I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach. In every department, the scouting department, the sporting director needs to do his job, and I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.”

By then, the relationship was shattered. According to reports, Amorim had clashed repeatedly with director of football Jason Wilcox, complaining about a lack of control — especially over transfers.

United acted swiftly. He was dismissed at Carrington on Monday morning, with players informed shortly after. Darren Fletcher, academy coach and former United midfielder, will step in as caretaker.

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A Reign That Became a Punchline

If the football was poor, the optics were worse.

At one point, footage went viral of Amorim shuffling coaching magnets mid-match in the dugout — during a humiliating defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup. It summed up a regime that drifted between confusion and parody.

And fans felt it.

The football lacked identity. The results lacked consistency. The belief? Gone months ago.

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Sixth Place Now — But The Damage Runs Deeper

Ironically, Amorim leaves the club sitting sixth in the Premier League — far from disastrous on paper. But the long shadow of last season, the public breakdown in relations, and the sense of a club spiralling under his leadership made his position impossible.

Even United’s own wording — that this change gives them the “best opportunity” to finish strongly — feels like a quiet admission that stability had vanished.

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The Harsh Verdict: The Worst of the Lot

When history looks back at Manchester United’s post-Ferguson decline, many names will be debated. Moyes. Van Gaal. Mourinho. Solskjaer. Ten Hag.

But in cold numbers — and painful memories — Ruben Amorim stands alone.

A win record of 36.92%. A 15th-place finish. No identity. No control. And finally, no job.

For now, United turn to Darren Fletcher to steady the ship. But long-term? The club still faces the same question it has wrestled with for a decade:

Who can truly rebuild Manchester United?

Because for 14 long, chaotic months, Ruben Amorim proved — beyond doubt — that he was never the answer.