From Europa League final woe to Grimsby embarrassment: Man Utd's top 10 worst moments under Ruben Amorim - ranked

Before the Manchester derby on September 14, 2025, Amorim was asked whether he or Pep Guardiola had bigger problems to resolve, given United were actually above City in the standings after three games of the new season.

"To compare me with the situation of Pep is just a joke," Amorim said. "I think we have bigger problems." He was right, too, as all of United's issues were laid bare during a 3-0 defeat to a team that had lost their previous two league games.

As well as lacking a real cutting edge (just two of their 12 shots were on target), United were once again wide open at the back, prompting further criticism of Amorim's preferred formation.

"When Ruben Amorim first came I was heartened by them playing three at the back," former United right-back Gary Neville said on Sky Sports. "But every single game he changes the back three, which tells me he is not sure which back three he should play.

"It was a nothing game from United. They are 14th in the league only four games in and we all said that they can't be getting to October where they are 14th or 15th in the league or the manager will be in trouble. There are a few games to go but they have to start winning quickly."

By the tail end of last season, it was clear that Amorim was almost solely focused on the Europa League - as it represented United's only hope of Champions League qualification. However, the nature of the performances in the league were still disturbing, with the 4-1 loss to Newcastle on April 13 the most obvious case in point.

Despite dropping Andre Onana, United still turned in another disastrous defensive display at St. James Park as they slumped to a defeat that meant the club would definitely post their lowest-ever Premier League points haul. Worryingly, Amorim had no real explanation for all of the mistakes his players were making.

"It's a little bit of everything," he said. "It's hard to point to one thing. So, I understand [the criticism] but I don't care. Nothing is worse than losing games. People can say whatever they want to say. But I don't want to defend myself or anything like that. If you look at our position in the table, it says it all."

Despite their dire league form, the FA Cup actually felt like a realistic target for Amorim's United - and particularly after they followed up their shock third-round elimination of Arsenal at the Emirates with a 2-1 win over Leicester City.

However, the Red Devils were dumped out of the competition - and in their own back yard - after being beaten by Fulham in a shootout after a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

It represented a 10th defeat for Amorim in 24 games - a startling statistic made all the more remarkable for the fact that his much-maligned predecessor, Erik ten Hag, hadn’t hit that figure until his 55th match in charge. Nonetheless, Amorim insisted that he was starting to get to grips with the job.

"The goal is to win the Premier League," he told the BBC. "I know that we are losing games, but the goal is to win the Premier League again. I don't know how long it will take but we have a goal and we continue forward no matter what. It's impossible to know when but you start understanding the players are better and we understand the league. So, we'll see in the future."

Bryan Mbeumo did not enjoy a happy return to the Gtech Community Stadium in September, as Manchester United were beaten 3-1 by his former club. However, while the home fans revelled in the opportunity to mock the Cameroon international for moving to Old Trafford during the summer, with chants of 'You should have stayed at a big club' ringing around the game, Mbeumo wasn't the one held responsible for United's defeat.

Had Bruno Fernandes converted a second-half penalty, the visitors would have left London with at least a point, but even the captain wasn't cast as the main culprit. As far as Match of the Day pundit Micah Richards was concerned, Amorim was to blame for United failing to win an eighth consecutive league game on the road.

"The system is hampering [the players]," the former Manchester City defender said. "They're not sure where they're meant to be.

"In terms of the goals, there were individual errors. Harry Maguire was trying to play offside for the first one - there's no point gambling there. But, for the second, Matthijs de Ligt doesn't know where's he's going and Maguire isn't sure where to position himself. It's 100 percent confusion caused by playing that system. It doesn't suit the players."

A dramatic derby win at the Etihad on December 15, 2024 was portrayed as a statement victory for Amorim just over a month into his tenure. However, United were brought crashing back down to earth by three consecutive defeats, against Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle, and without scoring a single goal.

It meant that only bottom side Southampton had lost more times since Amorim's first game in charge on November 24, and also resulted in his side dropping to 14th in the table - the club's lowest position at the turn of the year since 1989.

Nonetheless, it still came as a surprise to hear Amorim admit that relegation was a "possibility" for one of the richest clubs in world football. "It is also my fault," he told reporters, "because the team is not improving. It is a little bit lost in this moment and it is a bit embarrassing to be Manchester United coach and lose a lot of games.

"But I think people are tired of excuses at this club. This club needs a shock."

United began 2025 showing some fight, as they came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw at Liverpool thanks to Amad Diallo, who then hit a 12-minute hat-trick to earn a 3-1 win over Southampton on January 16.

Just three days later, though, and it felt like United were back to square one after a humbling 3-1 loss at home to Brighton. Indeed, a disillusioned Amorim even went so far as to claim that his team was maybe "the worst" in United's history.

"In [the past] 10 games in the Premier League, we won two," he pointed out. "Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me. We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that.

"I know you [the media] want headlines but I am saying [we are the worst] because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines!"

Things appeared to be finally picking up for Amorim in October, after he managed to oversee three successive Premier League wins for the first time. However, November opened with back-to-back 2-2 draws with Nottingham Forest and Tottenham that exposed United's usual defensive frailties.

Worse was to come, though, in their third and final fixture of the month, as Amorim's men lost 1-0 at home to Everton despite playing more than 77 minutes of the game against 10 men following Idrissa Gueye's remarkable dismissal for striking his own team-mate.

Funnily enough, the United manager felt that the incident illustrated the kind of passion and commitment to the cause that his team often lacks.

"Fighting is not a bad thing," he reasoned. "Fighting doesn't mean that they don't like each other. Fighting means that when you lose the ball and 'I will fight you because we will suffer a goal.' I hope my players, when they lose the ball, fight each other.

"Old Trafford was there saying to us 'we are all here to give a big step up', but I felt that we were not ready. Again, these five weeks, when everyone is praising our evolution, I'm always saying the same things. We are not even near what we're supposed to be in this club."

When asked about his very unhappy anniversary as United boss, Amorim also tellingly admitted, "I feel afraid of returning to the [negative] feeling of last season. That is my biggest concern. We need to work together. We are going to work together. The players are trying but we need to be better."

A hard-fought Boxing-day win over Newcastle with an under-strength side had lifted the spirits at Old Trafford as the turn of the year approached. However, on December 30, United were held at home by the Premier League's basement boys Wolves, who had arrived in Manchester on an 11-game losing streak.

Worse still, Wolves had actually appeared the more likely winners of the game before the hosts had a late strike from Patrick Dorgu disallowed for offside.

Again, Amorim had been shorn of the services of some key players but he at least conceded that United had lacked fluidity, quality and creativity. Still, he was adamant that United were "going to be a strong team" as soon as they got back to full-strength.

"There is no doubt in mind," Amorim said, just six days before his dismissal.

Amorim's one saving grace last season was United's thrilling run to the final of the Europa League, with the 5-4 last-eight second-leg win over Lyon undoubtedly one of the most incredible European nights Old Trafford had ever witnessed. However, all anyone remembers now is United losing 'El Crapico', the showdown at San Mames between two of the worst-performing teams in the Premier League.

In fairness to Amorim, his side dominated the game against Tottenham in Bilbao. However, despite having 73% possession and 16 shots to Tottenham's three, United ended up being beaten by their opponents' only shot on target all evening, from Brennan Johnson. It was an awful goal to concede, too, but rather indicative of United's often comically bad defending under Amorim.

However, despite squandering a golden opportunity to sneak his side into the Champions League, Amorim insisted that he remained the right man for the job.

"I know the patience of the fans will be really short in the next season, but I guarantee you I will not quit and I will not go away," he declared. "I am really confident I am still the guy, more than in the beginning."

Any hope that United might improve after overhauling their attack during the summer was quickly dispelled after an utterly humiliating Carabao Cup second-round shootout loss at Grimsby Town.

The visitors had actually done well to force penalties, after finding themselves 2-0 down inside half an hour at Blundell Park, but Amorim was disgusted that he'd even had to bring on the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matthijs de Ligt to turn around a game against League Two opposition.

"I think this is a little bit the limit," the Portuguese admitted. "I think something has to change. I think the team and the players spoke really loud today. I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. The way we start the game without any intensity, we were completely lost."

Unfortunately for Amorim, he also looked out of his depth - particularly as he once again couldn't bring himself to watch the shootout.

However, the most damaging image of the night - and arguably the defining image of his tenure - was the manager frantically moving pieces around a tactics board as he tried to get to grips with Grimsby during a opening hour for United!