Sections of the Manchester United support might suddenly be harbouring serious doubts about Ruben Amorim but – ahead of Sunday’s Premier League curtain-closer against Aston Villa – the former Sporting boss still largely retains the backing of those within the industry.
There are, of course, plenty of reasons to wonder whether Ruben Amorim really is the messiah Manchester United were promised.
The concerns of the fans are not without justification, and certainly not the result of an overly-expectant fanbase wanting too much too soon.
A tally of nine points in five months-worth of Premier League football is about as miserable as it gets. Man United have failed to score in their last 270 minutes of football too. The wastefulness which helped bring about the end of Erik ten Hag rearing its ugly head once more in Wednesday’s desperate Europa League final defeat.
The nature of that defeat also set alarm bells ringing and got the red flags waving.
Rio Ferdinand questioned Ruben Amorim’s team selection and he was far from alone. Alejandro Garnacho was furious to be limited to 20 minutes off the bench and, while he went about making it in precisely the wrong way, he probably had a point.
Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty ImagesUnai Emery backs Ruben Amorim before Manchester United face Aston Villa
If Man United lose at Champions League-chasing Aston Villa on the final day and Tottenham beat Brighton, meanwhile, the Red Devils will be consigned to a humiliating 17th-place finish.
Yet, the vastly-experienced Unai Emery is one of those who remains firmly of the opinion that Ruben Amorim should not be written off so soon.
“Always, [I expect] the best of them. The best. The greatness of Manchester United is still there. The great coach they have is still there,” Emery said, albeit his comments do not quite reflect just how far the Red Devils have fallen.
“He did a fantastic job in Sporting Lisbon. Fantastic. And not for one year, not two years, not three years – consistently.
“When he arrived [at Man United], it was a difficult moment. They were in two competitions, as well as the FA Cup, but they were trying to be consistent, and they chose in one moment for the Europa League because it was a great way through it to get their target to be in the Champions League.
“Only one of them in the final could achieve their objective, and they lost. But their greatness is still being there. The coach is a great coach and the players are very good players.”
The lack of Champions League football at Old Trafford means Manchester United now seem destined to miss out on Viktor Gyokeres. Liam Delap, their other leading striker target, may be tempted to pick Chelsea instead.
Though, speaking more positively, the impending arrival of Matheus Cunha certainly represents one mighty step in the right direction for a club crying out for both inspiration and intensity in the final third.
Unai Emery hoping to claim first ever Old Trafford win in charge of Villa
Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Somewhat bizarrely, despite Man United’s dismal last couple of years, Emery has not tasted victory over the Red Devils since a 3-1 Villa Park victory in November 2022.
“We have played here with Aston Villa for three years and I didn’t beat them here [at Old Trafford],” Emery explains. “My respect is a massive respect for Manchester United, their players and for the coach.
“I expect the best of them because they will play honestly for the Premier League, for their supporters, to try and show their capacity to perform and to compete in the level they are.
“We will try and prepare as best as possible the match with our game plan, with our focus, with our individual and collective performances we are having in the last matches.
“I am very positive, I am very excited, I am very motivated to enjoy the process we are in today, tomorrow, and on Sunday.”