It was supposed to be a season of resurgence — a fresh face in the dugout, a return to European relevance, and maybe, just maybe, a whisper of domestic pride. But as Manchester United slumped to their 17th Premier League defeat of the season, even that hope appears to be fading fast.
In a raw and revealing press conference after a dismal 2-0 loss to West Ham at Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim, United’s embattled head coach, didn’t hold back. The Portuguese tactician described himself as “embarrassed” and openly questioned his position at the club, not in anger but in deep, visible frustration.
Manchester United’s 17th Loss Marks a New Low
Let’s not sugar-coat this: Sunday’s defeat wasn’t just another bad day at the office. It was historic — and not in the way Manchester United fans want to remember. The Red Devils have now lost 17 league games, their worst total since the 1973/74 campaign — the year they were relegated from the First Division.
Old Trafford, once a fortress, has become something closer to a haunted house — echoes of greatness, but increasingly filled with fear, uncertainty, and apathy. The fans still show up, but it’s hope, not belief, they bring with them.
Despite rotating his squad ahead of next week’s Europa League final, Ruben Amorim still had a respectable starting XI at his disposal. Bruno Fernandes, Leny Yoro, Amad Diallo — all were present. But presence and purpose are not the same, and this United side played like a team already packing for summer.
Ruben Amorim: “We Need to Be Brave… or Give the Space to Others”
Speaking to the media after the match, Ruben Amorim cut a visibly tired figure. His words weren’t rehearsed. They came from a place of honesty, maybe even helplessness.
“I’m talking about myself and the culture in the club and the culture in the team,” Ruben Amorim said. “We need to change that and we need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave — because we will not have a next season like this.”
His comments weren’t vague musings. They were a clear challenge to the club’s hierarchy, to the dressing room, and maybe even to himself.
“If we start like this again, or if the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different persons,” he added.
That line says it all. Ruben Amorim knows that being the manager of Manchester United isn’t just about tactics or transfers — it’s about culture, about identity. And right now, both feel painfully absent.
A Team Coasting Into the Europa League Final?
There was a moment in the second half that summed things up. West Ham’s Tomas Soucek strolled into the box, unmarked, to head home the opener. A few minutes later, Jarrod Bowen doubled the lead. Both goals came through United’s right side — where ex-Red Aaron Wan-Bissaka was given far too much room and even less resistance.
No fire. No urgency. No bite.
Amorim hinted that some players had already mentally checked out, their focus seemingly locked on the upcoming Europa League final clash with Tottenham.
“Everybody is thinking about the final,” he admitted. “The final is not an issue in this moment in our club. We have bigger things to think about.”
He’s right. There’s a danger in ignoring the league table when there’s a trophy to chase. But United now sit 16th — sixteenth — in the Premier League. That’s not just an embarrassment. It’s an indictment.
Losing the Feeling of a Massive Club
Perhaps the most cutting statement from Ruben Amorim was this:
“We are losing the feeling of being a massive club. It’s the end of the world to lose a game at home — or at least, it used to be. I think that is the biggest concern in our club.”
Those words sting because they ring true. Where once defeat brought fire and fury, now it brings shrugs and explanations. There is a quiet decay happening at Old Trafford, and Ruben Amorim — to his credit — isn’t pretending otherwise.
What Comes Next for Ruben Amorim and United?
When Ruben Amorim joined Manchester United, he arrived with a glowing reputation from Sporting CP: sharp tactics, smart recruitment, and a modern approach to man management. But the Premier League is unforgiving, and United — regardless of their faded form — remain one of the toughest jobs in football.
This was never going to be easy. But it wasn’t supposed to be this.
United’s performance metrics have plummeted. Their goals conceded are among the worst in the league. Their attack, outside of Bruno and the occasional Amad Diallo burst, lacks coherence. There are questions surrounding the recruitment policy, the club structure, and — as Ruben Amorim has now highlighted — the mindset inside the dressing room.
“Playing Premier League and Champions League for us is the moon,” Ruben Amorim warned. “I’m not concerned about the final. They will be focused. I don’t even know what is best — to play in the Champions League or not.”
A shocking admission? Maybe. But also a brutally honest one.
Could Ruben Amorim Be Shown the Door?
At a club as turbulent as Manchester United, coaches rarely get time. The boardroom has made no secret of its high expectations, and the shadow of legends like Ferguson still looms large over any who sit in the dugout.
Whether Ruben Amorim survives this summer may depend entirely on that Europa League final. Win it, and the Champions League offers a lifeline. Lose it, and questions around his future will grow deafening.
In truth, even a trophy may not save him if the culture he describes continues to rot from within.
Final Thoughts: A Club at the Crossroads
What Ruben Amorim said on Sunday wasn’t just a critique of a bad game — it was a diagnosis of a deeper disease. Manchester United are a club stuck between eras, unsure of their direction, and seemingly forgetting what made them great in the first place.
Yes, they’re in a European final. But that shouldn’t mask what’s happening domestically. Seventeenth defeats. Sixteenth in the table. A squad lacking fire. A manager questioning the very soul of the team.
Whether Ruben Amorim is the man to fix this or not, one thing is clear: something has to change — and soon.
