Manchester United manager Amorim has been explicitly instructed to lead the club to next season’s European qualification this campaign. Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the co-owner of the club, made an unannounced visit to the Carrington Training Ground on Thursday and stressed to Amorim that the team’s performance must improve this season.
After losing 0-3 to Manchester City in the Manchester derby last Sunday, the Red Devils have only won one out of their last five games in all competitions. This continues the club’s worst-ever Premier League performance set last season—when they only accumulated 42 points and finished 15th, and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final, resulting in the club missing out on European competitions for the first time in 11 years.
Despite the grim situation, Ratcliffe still believes the current squad has the ability to challenge for a top-five finish in the league. However, Champions League qualification is not a set target or budget assessment indicator for the 2025/26 season. Nevertheless, Manchester United’s senior management considers returning to European competition as crucial.
The Manchester United board currently still supports Amorim, even though the pressure on him has been mounting since the humiliating derby defeat. It is understood that Ratcliffe did not arrange an emergency meeting this time; his meeting at Carrington was a pre-planned one and not specifically focused on discussing the manager’s future. Sources emphasized that Ratcliffe’s appearance at the training ground was a routine arrangement.
It is learned that the Portuguese coach, who frequently communicates with the CEO of INEOS Group, once again reaffirmed his stance publicly: he has no intention of changing his tactical system.
Since taking office in November 2024, Amorim has consistently insisted on using the 3-4-3 formation at Manchester United, even though the players have clearly struggled to adapt to this system. However, the 40-year-old manager stated publicly that he does not believe the problem lies with his tactical system. He said, “There are many factors behind Manchester United’s poor performance, and you have no idea what has happened in the past few months. But I will not change my system. When I want to change my philosophy, I will take the initiative to do so. Otherwise, you will need to replace the coach himself.”
