The Sky Sports Soccer Special panel have reacted to Rúben Amorim’s bombshell post-match press conference following Man Utd’s 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road.
Manchester United were forced to share the points with Leeds after a 1–1 draw on Sunday afternoon, with Brenden Aaronson and Matheus Cunha both finding the net.
The highly anticipated fixture was played at a brisk pace from the outset, as United matched Leeds’ physicality throughout a tense opening spell. Opportunities were few and far between, although Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Cunha each came close, leaving the sides level at the break.
The second half followed a similar pattern until Leeds broke the deadlock through Aaronson. United responded quickly, with Cunha striking 25 minutes from time to bring Rúben Amorim’s team back on level terms.
Both sides pressed for a late winner as the match opened up, but a lack of quality in the final third ensured neither could find a decisive goal, and the contest ended in a draw.
Reaction to Amorim’s post-match press conference
While much could be said about the 1-1 draw, the game was undoubtedly overshadowed by Amorim’s post-match press conference, where he sounded off on his current situation at the club, hinting at substantial tension between the Portuguese coach and the higher-ups.
Following the press conference, Sky Sports’ Soccer Special panel reacted to his comments, with Paul Merson saying, “Well, my take was that he wants to be the manager and in 18 months’ time, he’ll be leaving. This needs to be sorted now. You know, Man United have to have a plan. Well, they’re just drifting, and in 18 months’ time he’s leaving, so this needs to get sorted now.”
Kris Boyd added, “That’s exactly what he’s doing, though, he’s trying to engineer a move there. To come out and say what he said, he’s trying to probe the people that’s going to make a decision on him, there’s no doubt about it.”
Steve Sidwell also touched on the disconnect between Amorim and INEOS, saying, “I think what he’s saying about being a coach and manager, I think, he wants decisions, and I think he’s not getting backed from the board or from the hierarchy. They’re basically saying, you’re a coach, you coach these players. He’s saying I need backing. These are the players I want, and you bring these in. And now, that certainly shows that there is a disconnect between the manager and those above, and I think you either back him or he has to go.”
Only one winner from this power struggle
Amorim’s post-match press conference comments were a clear challenge to INEOS to not interfere in the job that he’s trying to do at Manchester United, hinting that he’s already ready to move on when his contract expires in 18 months.
The specific calling out of Christopher Vivell, the director of scouting, and Jason Wilcox, the director of football, makes it clear where his grievances at the club lie. After setting aside a reported £65 million for their January pursuit of Antoine Semenyo, who they have now missed out on, the report of there now being no money to spend this month will certainly have rubbed Amorim the wrong way.
Read More: What Jason Wilcox told Ruben Amorim as Man Utd boss makes dig towards Old Trafford chief
On the other hand, Wilcox has expressed his frustrations with Amorim’s steadfast reliance on his 3-4-3 formation, wanting the Portuguese coach to be more tactically adaptable, which can be seen by the use of a back four in recent fixtures.
At the end of the day, however, when Amorim joined the club in November last year, he was named as a head coach rather than a manager when his appointment was announced, two terms with distinctly different meanings in today’s game, and it would be hard to believe that he didn’t know what he was signing up for when he joined.
With Amorim emphasising that he will not quit, and INEOS publicly backing him since he joined despite the poor results, the higher-ups may have to bite the bullet on their heavy investment of faith in the Portuguese coach and not allow the situation at the club to spiral for 18 months.
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