Manchester United sack Ruben Amorim: Winners and losers as Jim Ratcliffe looks for next Old Trafford boss

Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim, and his dismissal will have significant ramifications on everybody associated with the club.

The Red Devils were held by Leeds United on the weekend, but the fanbase had long been discontent, while there were reports suggesting that United's hierarchy had grown weary of the head coach.

Darren Fletcher has been appointed as interim manager, and the team will look to hire a permanent boss at another date.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the winners and losers of Manchester United's decision to sack Ruben Amorim.

Winner - Manchester United

While being plunged deeper into crisis is never a good thing, the dismissal of Amorim was ultimately the right decision, even if his departure has not solved any of the club's most glaring problems.

The 40-year-old leaves Old Trafford with the worst win ratio (32%), the worst goals conceded per game ratio (1.53) and the lowest clean sheet ratio (15%) of any Red Devils boss in the Premier League era.

By any measure of what a Manchester United coach should strive to be, Amorim had failed, especially as his side's 15th-placed finish in 2024-25 was their worst ever in Premier League history.

Tottenham Hotspur - who finished 17th last term - were renowned as serial underachievers, mocked by opposition fanbases for their failure to win silverware, and the fact Amorim lost the Europa League final against them in May 2025 was damning.

A new manager will still face numerous issues, some that will ultimately be beyond their control, but there is little to suggest that Amorim was the man for the job.

Winner - Kobbie Mainoo

Kobbie Mainoo's future was perhaps tied to the future of Amorim, with the midfielder having rarely been trusted by the Portuguese coach.

The Englishman broke out under Erik ten Hag, establishing himself as a genuine option for the first team in 2023-24 season despite being just 18.

However, the 20-year-old has started just 12 times in the Premier League since Amorim's appointment in November 2024, failing to make the starting lineup in the top flight this season at all.

Mainoo had been consistently linked with a move away from Old Trafford, but there may be an opportunity for him to return to the fold.

Fletcher is likely to provide more chances to the youngsters in the squad, and perhaps some of the club's academy stars will be able to make an impact.

Loser - INEOS

When Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority stake in the club with INEOS in 2023, he presented fans a vision of a return to the top, insisting that the team could find their way back in the near future.

Fast-forward to January 2026, and United have dismissed Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim in the space of less than two years.

To make matters worse, the decision to sack Ten Hag in October 2024 was made after the club had signed £200m worth of players.

Amorim was then forced to work with a squad ill-suited to his playing style, but he was given the opportunity to persist in the dugout for 2025-26.

United's decision to stick with the Portuguese now looks foolish, especially when considering they spent more than £200m on players in the summer of 2025.

The hiring and firing of Dan Ashworth as sporting director hinted at a lack of clear direction behind the scenes, and Amorim's sacking has confirmed that United are still searching for an identity, on and off the pitch.

Loser - Ruben Amorim

Amorim was regarded as one of the most promising young coaches in Europe at Sporting Lisbon, with the Portuguese having won two league titles despite the dominance of Porto and Benfica.

His time at Old Trafford has been turbulent, and though he was not responsible for every problem at the club, his reputation has undoubtedly been damaged.

The 40-year-old had reportedly fallen out with numerous young players such as Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, while he also failed to build a functioning relationship with boyhood fan Marcus Rashford.

Any prospective club might look at his distrust of youth and his difficulties with man-management as a red flag, and it would not be surprising if Amorim was forced to rebuild his career on a much smaller stage.