Ruben Amorim admits he could be SACKED by Man United – after Dan Ashworth lasted just 159 days – and concedes he didn’t expect to lose so many games in ‘really hard’ job
- Man United lost their third game in a row with a defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day
- It means Ruben Amorim has been defeated in five of his 10 games as United boss
- LISTEN NOW: It all starts! Are Tottenham managers treated differently to other managers?
Ruben Amorim admits he is in danger of being sacked if he fails to halt Manchester United’s dramatic slump.
Amorim has lost half of his 10 games and seen United fall to 14th in the Premier League since the club paid Sporting Lisbon £9.2 million to appoint him as head coach.
After United axed sporting director Dan Ashworth after just 159 days – and sacked Sporting Amorim’s replacement Joao Pereira on Christmas Day – the 39-year-old admitted he is not bulletproof either.
“I know the business I’m in,” Amorim said. ‘The manager of Manchester United can never feel comfortable in any case.
‘I know that if we don’t win, regardless of whether they pay the buyout or not, I know that every manager is in danger. I like that because that’s the job, so I understand the question.
“You can say I’ve been here for a month and had four training (sessions), but we’re not winning. That is the reality and I feel quite comfortable with that.’
Ruben Amorim admitted he could be sacked if he fails to halt Man United’s dramatic slump
United’s dismal 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day was their third successive defeat
United axed sporting director Dan Ashworth just 159 days after his appointment in a brutal move
Amorim would have preferred to move to Old Trafford next summer but was given a ‘now or never’ ultimatum by United, who paid Sporting an extra £900,000 on top of his £8.3m buyout clause to sign him mid-season install.
The United boss knew it would be difficult to get his ideas across in such a short time but did not expect to lose so many games.
‘There’s no point in talking about it or thinking about it. I am here and need to focus on my work,” he added.
‘It’s part of football to have these difficult moments. I already knew this was going to be tough.
‘You expect to win more games, to have players with more confidence to sell the idea and get going and improve things. Right now it’s really hard.
“We have to survive to have time and then improve the team.”
United will face in-form Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday after three consecutive defeats.
Amorim admitted he didn’t expect to lose as many games as he did when he arrived
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe paid Sporting Lisbon £9.2 million to appoint him in November
They will be without captain Bruno Fernandes after he was sent off in the 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day and Manuel Ugarte, who picked up his fifth booking of the season at Molineux.
Amorim does not rule out that he will give the armband to Harry Maguire, who was stripped of the captaincy by his predecessor Erik ten Hag.
“He’ll have to wait until the game,” Amorim said. ‘It works really well. He is focused on the work, not on what people say. He has no excuses (doesn’t make any), even though he’s had some tough moments.
‘I think he is an example in that respect, so he is there to play and help the team. That’s what he’s trying to do.’
