Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was in his worst mood on Thursday night after 13 months at the club. The usually friendly manager turned angry after the draw against West Ham. Things have clearly become tense at Old Trafford.
The draw was a huge missed chance for United. Defender Diogo Dalot said the result hurt even more because the team could have moved up to fifth place. Instead, they dropped back to the bottom half of the table. This recent slide is clearly bothering Amorim, who even called the team’s three-game winning streak a “false dawn.”
According to The Sun, the frustration showed in three separate tense moments with reporters on Thursday. Amorim is known to snap back hard when journalists question his player choices. This has happened several times before during his time at United.
Amorim’s selection choices keep backfiring on him
Back in the Europa League final, Amorim got upset when asked why he benched Alejandro Garnacho. United lost that game 1-0. The reporter asked if Amorim needs to be bolder instead of playing it safe. Seven months later, that question still matters.
After the Arsenal loss in August, Amorim was shocked when someone suggested Tom Heaton should start in goal instead of Altay Bayindir. Six games later, Bayindir was dropped and hasn’t played since September. The journalist was right all along. Like other high-profile sports figures, Amorim faces constant scrutiny over his decisions, similar to how fans debate coaching success in other leagues.
These selection problems are causing major issues for the team. Kobbie Mainoo, who scored a late winner at Wolves in February 2024, has barely played this season. Amorim’s system only uses two midfielders, and his careful approach doesn’t fit Mainoo’s style. Fans cheer loudly whenever Mainoo comes off the bench.
Matheus Cunha, a player Amorim personally asked to join United in April, has only scored one goal this season. He clearly wasn’t fit when he started against West Ham on Thursday after nearly four weeks without playing. Striker Benjamin Sesko is injured for another week, and Mason Mount is too injury-prone to play back-to-back games.
United now face winless Wolves, who have lost eight straight games and sit 12 points from safety. Losing to them would be one of United’s most embarrassing results ever. The pressure on managers in sports continues to mount globally, as seen when FIFA presented its inaugural peace award during recent World Cup proceedings. Amorim warned that no Premier League team has ever gone the whole season without winning, adding they need to improve because every match is tough for them now.
Published: Dec 7, 2025 03:15 pm