Bruno Fernandes reportedly took matters into his own hands after Rúben Amorim left Manchester United chiefs unhappy with comments in a press conference.
Rúben Amorim’s time at Manchester United will not go down fondly with anyone associated with the Old Trafford side.
The 40-year-old head coach was appointed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team to lead United into a new, more modern era, but after winning just 15 of his 49 Premier League games and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, the plan unravelled.
United headed into the 2025/26 campaign with several new star signings, but despite some great wins against Liverpool, Brighton, and Sunderland, losses and draws against many of the bottom-six league sides soured the mood.
After a shouting match and falling out with Director of Football Jason Wilcox, Amorim was then relieved of his duties at the beginning of the year, and Michael Carrick has now taken over as head coach until the end of the campaign.
Fernandes took personal action after Amorim comments
Something many saw as a flaw in Amorim’s management style was his honesty when speaking with the press. One particular incident that cited questions was opening, calling winger Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu an ‘anxious’ player.
According to the Manchester Evening News, this comment in particular left senior decision-makers at United “unhappy” and questioning why a coach would make such a negative comment about a 21-year-old in public.
Further to this, it was a comment that saw club captain Bruno Fernandes spring into action and intervene with Dorgu. The report further details that the Portugal international, along with his leadership group of players, spoke to the player personally following the criticism.
He was also heavily supported by his close friends in the dressing room, such as Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, and Kobbie Mainoo, with the latter no stranger to a strained relationship with the former, united boss.
Dorgu’s profile is a perfect fit for Carrick
Fast forward past Amorim’s sacking, and Dorgu has been brilliant. In United’s first league game after the dismissal, the Dane set Benjamin Šeško up on a plate against Burnley before scoring a very important goal against Man City ten days later.
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Having played as a left wing-back under Amorim, Dorgu has since been utilised as a right winger, left winger, and left-back under Carrick and previous interim Darren Fletcher, and has been a shining light.
The biggest difference between Dorgu under Amorim and the 21-year-old now is that he, along with the rest of the squad, has been given a clear role and set of instructions to execute that lean on his strength, with his pace, power, and movement all major assets.
While Dorgu may not be as technically clean as Matheus Cunha, as powerful as Bryan Mbeumo, or inventive as Amad, his versatility could see him evolve into a winger that could be perfect for Carrick to execute many of his game plans as the club chases Champions League football.
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