Big discussion: Our mirror football writers look at Manchester United’s slow start to a new season and investigate whether Reuben Amorim is the guy who turns it around for the Red Devils
Manchester United will never be far from a full-scale crisis. There were only two games this season. After a summer that saw them spend more than £200 million, the Red Devils finished 16th in the Premier League.
They had one point and only scored one goal. Even that strike came out of Fulham’s striker Rodrigomwhis. Not sure what everyone at United wanted.
Of course, it’s still early on. With only two games of the season being played, there is plenty of time left for Reuben Amorim to turn the ship around.
However, United’s current form follows a worrying trend under the Portuguese coach, winning just seven Premier League matches since arriving at Old Trafford.
The questions remain, but can he actually get the club back on track? The mirror football writer discusses his future and whether United could make a difference sooner than later…
read more: Transfer News Live: Liverpool refuses Isaac D-Day, another Spurs hijack for Arsenal Eye, Newcastle Bidread more: Fulham star rubs salt on Bruno Fernandez’s wound after Man UTD penalty humiliation
Daniel Olme
It was a poor start to the season for United, and it won’t be avoided. However, there is still no reason to loot Amorim.
His new signature is still asleep and the transfer window remains open. And let’s be fair for the Red Devils, they didn’t have the easiest start to the season.
They gave Arsenal a real run for their money – and at least they could argue for points – a draw at Craven Cottage is not the end of the world as Fulham sees external bets for a European spot. You also need to simply remember how bad United was last season.
Amorim doesn’t fix all of these issues overnight. He needs time. And that’s exactly what he should be given by the Chief of United. Let him reach at least in November. That way you can reevaluate it. If United still struggles to put together a victory on the string, they will always pull the trigger, but it will even make sense to even consider firing him right away.
Should I have Man United Sack Reuben Amorim? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Tom Victor
The fact that we’re talking about the future of managers two games after the new season tells us everything we need to know about the extent to which Manchester United’s struggle is talking. This is not like the Graham Potter situation. The West Ham boss is under pressure after two matches, two losses and eight goals were recognized.
United lost slightly to the title contender and pulled out an away game that could have won in other circumstances. The word crisis is being thrown out because bars in this term are lower than any other club in the country’s 13 Premier League winners.
Ten Hag was fired by United and in some cases removed in May 2024 as things were getting worse. Last season’s Europa League run showed Amorim had found a way to improve.
Ori Gump
United should certainly give Amorim more time, but the signs look sinister. The next handful of fixtures face a trip to Manchester City and a clash with Chelsea.
The next game against Grimsby and Burnley should be two easy wins. Anything less than that, there is a serious sense of uncertainty within the fanbase and board. All managers need time to implement his strategy, and new signatures need to gel. But you look at his 3-4-3 system and wonder if it’s the best player he has. The situation in the midfield looks like a real problem, but Mbeumo and Kuña have yet to see that they are dangerous attackers tilted to be in Old Trafford.
The facts don’t lie. Amorim has only won seven times from 29 Premier League matches. He was portrayed as seven people and lost 15. It’s outcome business and if things still look bleak by October or November, United may have to accept that this is not going well.
Andy Dunn
With a full season behind him, Reuben Amorim would have wanted a faster start, but he didn’t need to panic. Under Erik Ten Hag, United actually lost the first two Premier League matches of the 2022-23 season, falling behind Manchester City and runner-up Arsenal, but finished third.
There was a promising spell between a gun loss at home, and the tally of a draw at Fulham and 32 attempts at goal suggests this is a team that creates more opportunities than last season.
Transforming more of these opportunities is clearly the main issue Amorim sorts, and starting with Benjamin Sesco wasn’t a bit of a head scratcher, even if you have any doubts about his match fitness.
However, Sesko’s front 3, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo score many goals when they can get to know each other well. Certainly, the opening couple’s match shows that there are still many issues that Amorim needs to resolve, but those issues were so deeply rooted that he needs more time to reestablish United as a serious Premier League force.
Mark Jones
The positive thing about appointing a married manager to one system and one system would have thought that over time the system would be fine-tuned and players would know almost exactly where their teammates don’t think about.
That may ultimately be the case with Reuben Amorim, but given United’s offensive change this summer, things have almost come back once, as new players want managers to play as they learn the way.
Of those new players, Matheus Cunha looks lively, but he is not prolific. BenjaminSesko takes time to speed up. It is questionable that BryanMbeumo was a proper addition to play in this formation as No. 10 on the right.
All of this means that, like we did for most of last season, we’ve returned to the point where the outcome is in danger of running away from them.
Amorim’s work should not be under pressure right now, but things can quickly get out of control. Burnley on Saturday is huge for him, with Manchester City and Chelsea coming after an international break.
John Cross
Manchester United must hold their nerves. You can’t press the panic button as this season could be a game-changer for the club.
The front line looks very exciting, along with Benjamin Sesco, Mateus Cunya and Brian Mbeumo. But spending £206 million ahead, they are other important areas: keepers and holding midfielders.
But if they can trade for the keeper and balance better in the middle, I’m sure they can have a decent season under Reuben Amorim.
They had better – I flipped them over for the top 4! Its front 3 is so exciting and packed with goals, so it’s all based on that forward line.
United have to improve elsewhere, but they never solved all the issues in one transfer window. And they can’t and don’t.
But we have changed enough at Old Trafford, reminding everyone that we’ve panicked and unable to do it again. They have to try to find some solutions this week, but either way, this will be a better season for United, despite the early uplifts of the road.
Dan Marsh
One point from the two games isn’t the rip-ring start that Manchester United and fans have been looking for this season, but it shouldn’t be all dark. They were truly impressive and disappointing in their defeat against Arsenal, and looked much better on Sunday’s patch with Fulham.
While it cannot escape the fact that Reuben Amorim’s record in the Premier League has been poor since it arrived last November, United have committed over £200 million in new-looking attacks. It’s insane to press the panic button right away, especially since other problem areas, namely the goalkeeper situation and midfield – is not an Amorim problem.
The truth about Cold Hard is that United have no magical fixes after recording the worst Premier League finish last season. There may be more pain before they turn the corner, and Amorim’s refusal to deviate from his preferred formation has a split opinion.
But he deserves a considerable crack in turning around something that takes much longer than the two transfer windows. I think United’s opening game has had a good glimpse of the promise to suggest that a better time is upon us.
Join our new Man UTD WhatsApp community and receive a daily amount of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat community members with special offers, promotions and advertising. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, you can read the privacy notice.
Sky Sports Discount Premier League and EFL Packages
£43
£35
Sky
Get the deal here
Sky has cut the prices of Essential TV and Sky Sports bundles ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering over 1,400 live matches in the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, showing an even greater increase of up to 100.
