Reuben Amorim could be on the verge of following Eric Ten Hag’s unfortunate footsteps, especially if the Thursday morning event takes anything. The plagued Manchester United boss arrives at Carrington’s training ground in a dawn crack after one of the most humiliating nights in the club’s history.
United were shockedly kicked out of the Carabao Cup by League 2 Minnow Grimsby Town on Wednesday. The result was one of the biggest shocks of the season, with a chin dropping agitation that went down. After a regular 2-2 draw, Amorim’s team succumbed with a nail biting penalty shootout, poses serious questions about his future at Old Trafford. On the show of determination, the Portuguese coach arrived at the training ground before 7am the next morning and decided to save something from the disaster. However, the move has some eerie similarities to Ten Hag, who did the same last year after a devastating 3-0 defeat to Tottenham. And that moment identified as the beginning of the Dutch downfall of the time.
Like Amorim Now, Ten Hag’s final season began under intense scrutiny after a disappointing end to previous campaigns. The results never improved, and his firing always seemed inevitable until it was officially announced in October 2024. Amorims are desperate to avoid repeating history, but the warning signs are clear.
United have not yet won after three games, and his miserable 35% win rate, as managers suggest that change is on the horizon. Amorim cut a disappointing figure at the Brandel Park touchline as Grimsby took a 2-0 lead on the break. Brian Mbeumo and Harry Maguire provided United Hope with a pair of late goals, but the comeback collapsed in a shootout.
Amorim offered a dim rating of his players, saying, “All. How we started the game, we weren’t here. When everything is very important at our club, when it’s an issue at our club, we should do better.
“I felt like today that they were really loud and loud about what the players wanted. I think that’s easy for you (how to interpret it). Let’s focus on the next game. Then we’ll think about things.
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“I’m a manager. It’s my job to understand what happened. Again, I’m really sorry to the fans. Let’s focus on the next game. That’s more than the outcome. That’s the biggest problem with the team. I think it was really clear today.
“I want to say something very smart and very important. I have nothing to say. There’s nothing to say. That’s the biggest problem too. I see the same mistake at this moment and have nothing to say. I’m really sorry to the fans.
“You can’t change much. You can’t change everything in the summer. You have to win the game. You don’t need to show this kind of performance. I think this is a bit of a limitation. I think you have to change something. At this moment, you need to focus on the weekend.”
The United coach was drawn into Carrington just after 1am. Staff and players, including Amorim, headed to the car before disappearing into the darkness. While the majority returned home and rested, the United Chiefs returned to the training grounds in a few hours to continue their duties. He appeared almost four hours before the scheduled 11am session when the team was immersed in preparing for an important encounter with Burnley on Saturday.
That fixture already has the weight of a must-see match. In particular, United only got one point from the opening two league games, evoking the echo of concern from last season. The victory will provide a sliver of aggressiveness before an international break.
But other than three points, there is a risk of further strengthening the confusion. And it could be sufficient to set up Amorim on the same exit path as 10 HAG.
