Ruben Amorim labelled 'very embarrassing' as ex-Man Utd boss continues to catch strays amid Kobbie Mainoo's resurgence under Michael Carrick

Amorim's underwhelming stint as United boss came to an end early on in January. Despite improving the team's form this season, he was sacked after seemingly taking on the board over his job title.

Following a 1-1 draw at Leeds, Amorim said: "To start with that, I noticed that you received selective information about everything. I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. And that is clear. 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. That was my point. I want to finish with that. I’m not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is coming here to replace me."

During Amorim's 14 months at the helm, United recorded their lowest-ever Premier League finish of 15th, lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final and he became derided for his comments lambasting his Red Devils group as 'maybe the worst' in the club's history.

Amorim was also heavily criticised for his deployment of academy product Mainoo, who became a key starter under predecessor Erik ten Hag but couldn't nail down a place in the Portuguese's demanding 3-4-3 system. But the 20-year-old has found his best form again in recent weeks, and after impressing in Saturday's 2-0 win against Spurs, Ian Wright took the opportunity to praise Mainoo and lay into Amorim.

"Everybody was confused with what was happening under Ruben Amorim," Wright said on Premier League World. "When you look at [Mainoo], someone who's not played, coming into a Man United side that's not in great form. To play in that midfield which is where all the questions have been around... just the quality.

"You're listening to Bruno [Fernandes] saying they've been given the freedom to express themselves because they're good players. And Kobbie is a very, very good player. I'm just pleased we're seeing that now.

"I think it's very embarrassing for Ruben Amorim if we're going to be totally honest. Because what we seen was a Man United youth product not given the opportunity to play and very, very close to leaving the club.

"[Mainoo] was brilliant today. Magnificent today."

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Due to his feud with Amorim, Mainoo wanted to leave United. In the final week of the summer 2025 transfer window, the midfielder asked to be loaned out, aware that clubs such as Napoli, where fellow academy product Scott McTominay is thriving, were interested in his services. A move to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona never materialised, though reports have suggested Mainoo would have pushed for a January exit too had Amorim remained in post but he will now sign a new contract with United.

Mainoo and the Red Devils return to action on Tuesday with a trip to relegation-battling West Ham United, with Carrick looking to record his fifth win on the spin as head coach.

In the longer term, there is also buzz that Mainoo could return to the England fold in time for the World Cup this summer. He has been capped ten times by the Three Lions but hasn't represented his country since September 2024 - one month before Thomas Tuchel was unveiled as the team's permanent successor to popular head coach Gareth Southgate.