After 14 months in charge with the club sixth in the Premier League table, Ruben Amorim has been sacked as Manchester United manager.
Manchester United, in a statement issued on Monday, 5 January, 2026, said the decision has been made ‘reluctantly’ and ‘it is the right time to make a change’.
On Sunday, 4 January, 2026, Amorim hinted that he was not happy with the level of interference from the Man Utd board.
Ruben was appointed in November, 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May.
With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish.
“The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the future.”
Amorim’s coaching team have also left United.
Former midfielder Darren Fletcher will take charge for Wednesday, 7 January, 2026 Premier League game against Burnley.
The Scot will remain in place until a caretaker is appointed for the rest of the campaign, with the club planning to name a permanent successor for Amorim in the summer.
Ruben Amorim had remained wedded to his preferred three-man defensive formation with wing-backs since his arrival at Manchester United.
But the Portuguese coach changed to a four-at-the-back system for the victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day, before reverting to a back three for subsequent games.
Reports had claimed Christopher Vivell, United’s head of recruitment, called on Amorim to adapt his system following a detailed breakdown by Fulham boss Marco Silva of his plan to counter it following the draw between the sides at Craven Cottage in August.
Amorim, who was named as ‘head coach’ when the club announced his arrival, said there had been disagreements with the club over transfer targets.
And his hints at growing tensions with director of football Jason Wilcox were only getting stronger with the start of the January transfer window.
Making his point to the media on Sunday, 4 January, 2026, Ruben Amorim raised the names of three high-profile former Premier League bosses and suggested they would not be subjected to the interference he felt he had been experiencing at Manchester United.
“I know that my name is not [Thomas] Tuchel, it’s not [Antonio] Conte, it’s not [Jose] Mourinho, but I’m the manager of Manchester United.
“And it’s going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change.
“I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me.”
Amorim also floated the idea that United have become too sensitive to outside criticism, naming Sky Sports pundit and former Manchester United player Gary Neville.
“If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club,” he said.
Ruben Amorim had been hinting for a couple of weeks that he was not happy with the level of interference from the Manchester United board.
After United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday, Amorim challenged the club’s hierarchy saying in his post-match press conference: “I just want to say I came here to be the manager, not to be the coach.
“In every department – the scouting department, the sporting director – [they] need to do their job. I will do mine for 18 months and then we move on.
“I just want to say that I’m going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job. Not to be a coach.”
