Man Utd Chiefs Back Amorim Despite Grimsby Humiliation

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim is understood to retain the support of the club ownership despite last night’s shock Carabao Cup defeat at League Two Grimsby.

Amorim has provoked question marks over his tenure with his own statements following the penalty shootout loss at Blundell Park, before which his side had to come back from two goals down having been outplayed for an hour.

However, sources with an understanding of the situation are adamant this uncertainty does not exist from the top down.

They say it was always felt the journey being taken under Amorim would be a long one and that the club want to avoid making short-term decisions based around a couple of poor results.

United have backed Amorim by spending £200m on attacking players this summer, while negotiations likely to end with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund joining Chelsea, Real Betis and Napoli respectively, are continuing.

The club are mindful that in the summer of 2024 they backed Erik ten Hag with a similar transfer budget, only to sack the Dutchman before the end of October.

The defeat at Grimsby is the first time United have lost to fourth-tier opposition. Amorim did not shirk media duties afterwards and spoke to in-house station MUTV on his bleak assessment of the situation.

“Let’s focus on the next game and then we have time to think about things,” he said.

“We have a job to do, a job to prepare, and then we will stop and think things through.”

The Portuguese manager opted not to clarify his comments, which even inside Old Trafford have been interpreted by some as the 40-year-old considering his future.

It is not the first time this has happened. It was reported he offered to resign at one stage last season, although this has never been confirmed. In the summer, Amorim described his desire to do a good job and emotional response when he doesn’t as “an ego thing”.

He is bound to be asked about his comments when he speaks to the media on Friday afternoon before his side’s Premier League game against Burnley at Old Trafford the following day.

Immediately after the international break United go to Etihad Stadium for the first Manchester derby of the season. Chelsea visit Old Trafford the following week, while a trip to old rivals Liverpool looms on 19 October.

He will also be asked to expand on his claim that his players “spoke really loud today what they want”. Even within the dressing room, which appeared so supportive of Amorim during a pre-season notable for the unity in the camp, there is uncertainty over what the former Sporting coach was saying.

Few players who started last night’s game put forward a convincing case for selection against Burnley, including midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who completed the full 90 minutes, and goalkeeper Andre Onana, whose mistake for Grimsby’s second goal made a bad situation worse.

Eyebrows were also raised at £73.7m forward Benjamin Sesko being the last outfield player to take a penalty for United in the marathon shootout, which extended to 13 shots for each side.

Sources have said the decision was taken as Sesko, who was completing his first competitive 90 minutes since 19 April, was experiencing cramp due to a pitch that had become heavy with rainfall.

BBC.com