Ruben Amorim’s cult followers have finally got one over Michael Carrick following Manchester United suffered a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United. The English coach’s unbeaten run was ended in dissapointing fashion at St James’ Park.
For a second game in a row, the Reds were handed a one-man advantage due to a sending off. Jacob Ramsey was handed a second yellow card for simulation, but it didn’t make much of a difference.
Anthony Gordon gave the hosts the lead following Ramsey’s red card when he tucked away a 45+6th-minute penalty. Bruno Fernandes made amends for giving away the spot kick when he found Casemiro with a superb free-kick for the 45+9th minute equaliser.
Manchester United couldn’t break down a resilient Newcastle defence, and it was the Magpies who won it late on. William Osula came off the bench and scored a sensational 90th-minute winner.
Remembering Amorim
It’s been quite some time since the Old Trafford faithful tasted defeat, but it was the norm during Amorim’s tumultuous reign. He did manage to beat the Tyneside outfit, though, overseeing a 1-0 win at home in December.
Amorim took 35 matches to win two games in a row, and INEOS showed enormous patience with the Portuguese coach. Probably to save face, given they made the decision to appoint a manager so wedded to a back-three.
Inevitably, fans backing Amorim and opposing his sacking made their feelings known. They have jumped at the chance to point out that the results under Carrick haven’t told the full story.
Amorim’s army attack
Carrick’s first loss has changed the situation regarding his ability to manage United. That’s the opinion voiced by many of Amorim’s followers.
One fan gave a lengthy explanation of why Amorim encountered problems supposedly beyond his control:
“Amorim inherited structural instability, squad imbalance, and was asked to implement a defined system. Carrick stepped into a simplified structure with lower immediate expectations and short-term stabilization goals. Comparing raw win percentage without context of squad state, tactical transition, injuries, and long-term mandate is surface-level analysis.”
They added:
“You don’t judge a rebuild architect the same way you judge an interim stabilizer. Short-term win rate can look better. Long-term ceiling tells the real story. If United only chase short-term optics, we stay stuck in cycles. Elite clubs evaluate trajectory — not just temporary numbers.”
This long statement feels right out of Amorim’s textbook of riddles spoken during his 14-month reign. But there are others who feel just the same about the Portuguese supposedly implementing a better tactical setup.
One fan wrote:
“Amorim actually made Manchester United fans tactically literate. He explained the ideas, the structure, the patterns clearly. So going back to something that looks completely uncoached is jarring.”
Another assessed the situation by suggesting Amorim was overseeing United’s return to the top of English football:
“Amorim’s intense style of play possession football, man to man marking, and his system is starting to fade away from these players. For the past four games, we’ve just been playing vibes football, with individual brilliance from Sesko and Bruno Fernandes saving us.”
They added:
“Let’s admit it the players are now playing the same way we saw under Erik. And it’s going to hurt us later. That’s why I told you all Amorim was building a monster in them. But after a few weeks, all the hard work is gone just like that.”
The problem with these comments are that Amorim’s footballing philosophy didn’t work. The worst period in the club’s Premier League history can’t be ignored. Some fans recall only a few occasions when his team were entertaining to watch.
Aren’t you entertained?
Amorim delivered some of the club’s most dismal team displays in its modern era. Last night was bad, but not 10-man Everton winning 1-0 at Old Trafford bad.
The Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur was a sight for sore eyes, as were the draws against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leeds United in the winter.
It almost feels as though Amorim managed to brainwash a large section of the club’s fanbase who would have backed him staying for a decade, even if that meant missing out on a top-four finish every single season.
Amorim broke records for all the wrong reasons during his spell in the Old Trafford dugout. Carrick might not be the long-term answer, but his predecessor certainly wasn’t the solution.
