Amorim on the line between life and death

Ruben Amorim, after the 3-1 defeat to Brentford, perhaps felt that more than ever. He admitted he was surprised by the backlash from the press and public opinion towards the team.

But in fact, this is not just an “overreaction” - but the naked reality of a group that was once a great symbol, now struggling to find its identity.

When failure is no longer a surprise

Manchester United lost three of their opening six Premier League games, and were knocked out of the League Cup by Grimsby Town - a result that even the most pessimistic fans would find hard to accept. More worryingly, Amorim's record was poor: their points tally after 33 games was the worst in Premier League history. These numbers make any excuses meaningless.

Amorim is right to say that his team lost because they “played the way their opponents wanted them to”. But that in itself is an indictment of himself: a team like Manchester United cannot simply follow the Brentford or Grimsby trap. They need to dictate the game, need character, need winning DNA – the things that are considered specialities at Old Trafford.

What shocked the club internally was the prospect of Amorim resigning. This is not a common scenario at Manchester United, where managers are often given long waits before being sacked. But for Amorim, who built his reputation at Sporting on consistency, leaving before being “fired” could be a way to preserve his personal image.

Ruben Amorim is still struggling with MU.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the new owner, still wants to give Amorim more time. On the one hand, it is a strategic belief; on the other, it is a reticence to let the club fall into a cycle of constant manager changes. But things will change if the defeats continue. Sunderland and then Liverpool - two games that could decide Amorim's Old Trafford career.

When Amorim expressed surprise at the “excessive” public opinion after each defeat, he inadvertently revealed the difference in football culture. At Sporting, losing a match means losing points in the race; at Manchester United, losing a match can become a political topic, a media disaster. Here, failure is not just a result, but the collapse of faith in the project.

Indeed, Manchester United is no longer a normal club. They are an icon with hundreds of millions of fans, a global brand, where every missed shot or missed shot is exaggerated in the media. With that foundation, “overreaction” is no longer overreaction, but the norm. Amorim, if they want to survive, must learn to live with it.

Ghosts of the Past

Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, the hot seat at Old Trafford has become a place where patience is tested. David Moyes, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Erik ten Hag – all have gone through the cycle of expectation – failure – criticism. Amorim is now walking on that familiar path, and the risk of falling into the “next victim” list is obvious.

The difficulty for Amorim is that he inherited an unbalanced team, lacking both character and confidence. Defeats like the one against Brentford not only reflect poor tactics, but also expose psychological fragility. A great team that easily collapses when they are behind – that is a chronic disease that has lasted for many years.

Amorim does not have much time left at MU.

One notable point is that Amorim did not criticize his students. He affirmed: "I will not worry about my future, I just do my best every minute I am here." The words sounded strong, but also exuded loneliness. Inside the Manchester United dressing room, many sources showed that the spirit had been eroded. A collective lacked a leader, lacked players who could pull his teammates up. In that context, Amorim was more likely to be isolated.

If Manchester United beat Sunderland, they can temporarily ease the pressure before the international break. But if they continue to stumble, the trip to Anfield will become a “death sentence”. Liverpool are on another planet in terms of form and spirit. A heavy defeat on Merseyside is enough to turn “doubt” into “full-blown crisis”.

The club has been linked with names like Michael Carrick and Gareth Southgate. Although the club has denied internally that a replacement has been lined up, the spectre of a “post-Amorim” has clearly loomed large. Carrick could be a temporary solution, while Southgate is more of a political choice than a technical one. But the mere mention of these names suggests that Amorim’s confidence is wavering.

Ruben Amorim says he is surprised by the “overreaction” after each defeat. But the truth is that at Manchester United, it is no longer a reaction – it is the rule. Each defeat is not just a loss of points, but a step backwards in the journey to restore the glory. And at Manchester United, where confidence is more fragile than ever, a manager cannot escape that pressure.

Amorim may have time, but not much. He is at a crossroads: either prove himself as the man to rebuild United, or become the next name to be swallowed up by the harsh cycle at Old Trafford. In this world , patience is a luxury, and “overreaction” is the measure of success or failure.

Source: https://znews.vn/amorim-tren-lan-ranh-sinh-tu-post1589802.html