Manchester United’s rollercoaster start to the 2025–26 season took another dramatic turn this week as manager Ruben Amorim found himself at the center of a storm following the club’s shocking Carabao Cup exit at the hands of fourth-division Grimsby Town. The defeat, sealed after a tense 2-2 draw and a marathon 12-11 penalty shootout loss at Blundell Park on August 27, marked the first time in United’s storied history that they’d been eliminated from a cup competition by a club from the fourth tier. The fallout? A swirl of criticism, soul-searching, and a manager unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.
Amorim, who took over the Old Trafford hot seat in November 2024 after a successful spell in Portugal, didn’t mince words in the aftermath. In a series of candid post-match interviews, he declared, “Sometimes I hate my players and sometimes I love my players. Sometimes I want to quit, sometimes I want to be here for 20 years.” Those comments, delivered with raw emotion, sent shockwaves through the British footballing press and fueled speculation about his future at the club.
The Portuguese coach’s remarks didn’t sit well with everyone. Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, speaking on BBC’s The Wayne Rooney Show, was forthright in his assessment: “His [Amorim’s] words were damning on the players. If your manager comes out with those words, there is something broken. What we forget is he is only 40. He is a young manager. Manchester United is so different to where he’s been before. There is a pressure with United, which he will never have felt before.” Rooney’s critique echoed the concerns of many fans and pundits, who questioned whether Amorim’s emotional approach was helping or hindering the squad.
Yet Amorim, never one to dodge tough questions, doubled down in a Friday press conference on August 29. He explained, “To be really honest, every time that we have a defeat like that in the future I’m going to be like that. I’m going to say sometimes I hate my players and sometimes I love my players.” He continued, “I know you have a lot of experienced people talking about the way I should perform with the media, to be more constant, to be more calm. I do understand that. But I’m not going to be like that. This is my way of doing things. That’s why I have the passion I have. In that moment I was really upset and really disappointed and I’m going to be who I am. So prepare yourself.”
Reflecting on the Grimsby defeat, Amorim was blunt: “That’s why you see that game, this is not our team, the way we are doing things. So I’m always confident in the way I manage the team.” He insisted that the players were still haunted by past failures, saying, “They think there is something in the water here, or in the food, it’s not real, it’s in our minds. And we just need to focus on the next game, we dropped the level. Now we have to respond in the next game, it’s not about the result, it’s the way we play.”
The defeat capped a miserable start to the season for United, who have managed just one point from their opening two Premier League fixtures—a 1-0 loss to Arsenal and a 1-1 draw with Fulham. Amorim didn’t shy away from criticizing those performances either, admitting, “We played badly for 30 minutes against Fulham and that kind of performance (against Grimsby), I was really disappointed with everything.” Still, he maintained that the team had shown promise in pre-season and that training had improved: “I felt we had a very good pre-season, we were playing better, we were being consistent in the way we played.”
Despite the public airing of his frustrations, Amorim retains the backing of United’s hierarchy. The club’s owners, who invested around £200 million this summer in new forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo, and Benjamin Sesko, are understood to support their manager. Amorim himself addressed questions about his future head-on, stating, “I am not going to promise you anything about what the future is going to be. But I’m the manager of Manchester United and I don’t think that is going to change.”
The tactical side of things hasn’t escaped scrutiny either. Amorim’s preference for a 3-4-3 system has been questioned by pundits and fans alike, especially after the Grimsby loss. Yet the manager remains steadfast: “I played all my life in 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. The only system I didn’t play for one minute was 3-4-3. When everyone is doing this with his eyes shut then we are going to change a lot of things. This is the fun part. I think [if] it is better to change, I would change right away. But if I am going to change to something I don’t believe, the players will say he is telling us things he doesn’t believe in. It is not about the system. We didn’t lose against Grimsby because of the system.”
While Amorim’s candor has made for compelling headlines, it has also opened the door to debate about his leadership style and its effects on a club craving stability. As one analyst put it, “Strap yourself in, it could be a bumpy ride. Amorim told it how it is when he spoke to the media on Friday. His jovial mood was back. He seemed more in control. We have got used to Amorim speaking from the heart and, in explaining why he said what he did at Grimsby, it was as though he was purging himself.”
Meanwhile, off the pitch, transfer rumors continue to swirl. United have reportedly accepted a £40 million offer from Chelsea for winger Alejandro Garnacho, while negotiations are ongoing with Napoli over a loan for striker Rasmus Hojlund. Spanish side Elche have shown interest in Tyrell Malacia, and Serie A’s Roma are pursuing Jadon Sancho. Roma’s coach Gian Piero Gasperini commented, “He would be a huge boost for us, but we would be an enormous opportunity for him. I’m not sure if it can still happen, but we don’t have to pray for someone to come here.”
Looking ahead, Manchester United host Burnley at Old Trafford on Saturday, August 30, 2025, with Amorim and his squad desperate to notch their first win of the campaign. The manager is adamant that focus must shift to the next challenge: “Now it’s a new game and we focus on that.” With his passionate, unfiltered approach, Amorim has made it clear he’s not about to change—no matter the pressure or the headlines.
Whether this fiery philosophy will spark a turnaround or further turbulence remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: all eyes will be on Old Trafford as United seek redemption and stability in their next outing.
