Sir Jim Ratcliffe's visit to Carrington was planned in advance, not a surprise. However, in the context of the team's disastrous decline in form, Amorim's achievements are of course on the agenda.
Bad start and suppressed pressure
Man United have won just one of their first four Premier League games this season. The disappointing peak was the 0-3 loss at the Manchester Derby, before that the shock of Grimsby Town being eliminated from the League Cup.
Despite the board spending more than £200 million in the summer transfer window to bring in Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, the Red Devils' style of play has yet to show a breakthrough. Ruben Amorim has been criticised for being conservative with a 3-4-3 formation, while his results on the pitch have been poor.
This weekend, Man United will host Chelsea at Old Trafford, a match considered a turning point for the captain's seat. Currently, the "Red Devils" are 14th in the rankings, just 1 place above the position they had ended last season.
The straightforward relationship between Sir Jim and Amorim
Amorim was appointed in November last year, after Erik ten Hag was sacked. However, Man United fans have witnessed the club's serious decline under the 40-year-old coach.
Both Ruben Amorim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have publicly admitted that they often have very frank, even fiery discussions. In an interview with The Times in March, Sir Jim said: I really like Ruben Amorim, he is a very profound person. Every time I come to Carrington, I sit with him and drink coffee. I pointed out what was going wrong, and Amorim told me to go away. However, I like that.
This statement shows that the relationship between the two is very fair and has a level of mutual respect, a fragile balance but also has the potential to lose control if the results continue to be bad.
Amorim's frank statements
After the defeat in the Europa League final in May, Amorim had said he would be ready to leave Man United and "not demand any compensation" if the board felt he was no longer suitable. After the shock against Grimsby, the Portuguese strategist emphasized: "If we can't do anything, there must be a change. However, I can't replace all 22 players, right?
After the loss to Man City last weekend, Amorim once again suggested the possibility of him being sacked if the upper class wanted to see a change in the tactical approach.
I understand and accept criticism. That is not a worthy achievement for a big club like Manchester United. There have been many things going on in the past few months but I don't take that as an excuse. I will not change. When I want to change my philosophy, I will change it myself. Otherwise, they have to change coaches.
These challenging statements show that Amorim has no intention of self-adjusting tactics or football philosophies, despite the pressure from public opinion as well as the risk of losing his job.
The reality of difficulties and the problem of faith
Man United's biggest problem right now is not only the tactical diagram, it is also the fighting spirit and cohesion in the dressing room. Many players may not be satisfied with Amorim's personnel arrangement.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team were forced to find a solution. On the one hand, Man United's leadership has defended its long-term stability by declaring to continue to put their trust in Amorim. On the other hand, the pressure from performance forces them to consider alternative options if the bad streak does not stop.
The question for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team is whether they will be patient enough to bet on Amorim's "hard-headed" philosophy, or will they take drastic action to save the season from the start?
The match against Chelsea was a decisive turning point
The confrontation with Chelsea will decide a lot about the future of Manchester United. Recently, the club has denied the information that Amorim has 3 more matches to keep his seat. However, if M.U continue to have poor performances against Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland, INEOS's confidence will be tested at the extreme level.
The Old Trafford team has changed coaches many times over the past decade, but the lesson shows that impatience only makes Man United sink deeper into the spiral of instability. However, in the current context, patience has also become a risky gamble for the club.
