Football with Faris: Why Amorim had to replace Ten Hag as Man United manager

Out with the old, in with the new. Was the exit of Erik ten Hag the correct decision, and will new man Ruben Amorim be the one to bring back glory to Manchester United?

Erik ten Hag’s sacking was inevitable

Some sackings in the English top flight have been harsh, but the majority were warranted, and ten Hag fits in the latter category, as INEOS pulled the trigger after a 2-1 away defeat to West Ham. Despite the impressive two domestic cups in two seasons, the lacklustre brand of football coupled with poor league performances didn’t fool anyone. In his three seasons, he presided over three of United’s ten worst Premier League starts. He broke numerous negative records during his tenure, such as leading the Red Devils to their worst-ever Premier League finish last season, in eighth place, despite winning the FA Cup. Furthermore, that season the club ended with a negative goal difference for the first time since 1990, before the Premier League era even began. Ten Hag averaged 1.72 points per match in the Premier League; the only Man Utd managers with a lower average in the competition are Ralf Rangnick (1.54) and David Moyes (1.68). His record in Europe was also poor, with United winning only nine out of 21 matches, and they are currently winless for over a year in European competition. But parking the stats to the side, ten Hag deserved the sack for the signing of Antony alone. Eyebrows should be raised over INEOS, as they were going to give ten Hag the boot in the summer but had a change of heart, only to sack him nine games into the season. In hindsight, they should’ve axed ten Hag in the summer to allow his replacement a preseason with the squad and a chance to sign his own players.

Is Ruben Amorim the one?

INEOS wasted no time in deciding on ten Hag’s successor and has announced it will be Ruben Amorim of Sporting Lisbon, commencing his role on 11 November. Manchester United swiftly moved for their new man, paying the compensation to Sporting Lisbon of around £10 million. The 39-year-old signed a contract with Manchester United until 2027, making him the fourth current manager in the Premier League under the age of 40. This job is arguably the most challenging in world football. Amorim will want to hit the ground running to show he has the potential to achieve what other recent managers failed to do: achieving long-term, consistent success at the club. He’s certainly displayed his eagerness by jumping at the chance to manage United, despite initially wanting to see out the season with Sporting. Tactically, Amorim deploys a back three with wingbacks - this could work with Lenny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Lisandro Martinez as the three centre halves. Diogo Dalot definitely has the quality to make a good right wingback, though Luke Shaw may prove unreliable for the left wingback role, fitness-wise. It also helps that defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte is already acquainted with the new boss from his time at Sporting Lisbon.

Ruben Amorim has had an impressive start to his managerial career with two Primeira Liga titles, two Taça da Ligas, and a Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. These achievements are not to be laughed at, given that Portugal is heavily dominated by giants Benfica and Porto. Amorim’s first league title win (2020/21) was significant, as it marked Sporting Lisbon’s first in 19 years. Amorim’s Lisbon boasts an electric start to their title defence, flexing ten wins in ten games with a +32 goal difference, sitting six points clear at the top. It seems they will be left in good hands. One thing is for sure: Ruben Amorim made an unwavering statement of intent as his Sporting Lisbon side emphatically beat Man United’s noisy neighbours, Manchester City, 4-1 in the Champions League in what was his farewell match.