Since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Manchester United have put their fans through the wringer. Historic defeats, negative records broken, and an inconsistency that has almost looked painful at times. With five full-time manager changes between himself and the great Sir Alex, Amorim is facing quite the rebuild. So, the question is now, has Ruben Amorim put Man Utd back on track?

It’s not to say that the past decade since Sir Alex’s retirement, has been all bad— it hasn’t. The Red Devils have won several titles, including an Europa League and two F.A. Cups. But, they still haven’t managed to find a consistent rhythm. That is why they haven’t been in competition for the highest honors in England and Europe in a decade. So, is Amorim the man to save this titan of English football?

The Players

Manchester United has spent upwards of £1 billion on players since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. Not only is this an astounding number by any measure, it is a number that hasn’t yielded much result. The club spent £67+ million on Angel Di Maria and £54 million on Anthony Martial. Following that, they spent £61+ million on Fred, £93+ million on Paul Pogba, and £90 million on Romelu Lukaku.

While these signings had their shining moments, overall, they were major disappointments. After joining Manchester United, Amorim signed five players— Benjamin Šeško, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Patrick Dorgu, and Senne Lammens. The club spent an average of £55,340,000 to acquire these five players.

While the season is still in the first half, we can safely say that Manchester United has looked much more coherent. Although the results still aren’t consistent, the threat of Cunha and Mbeumo has given Fernandes more freedom to create. Furthermore, both of these players are highly creative in attack themselves. Šeško poses a threat on set pieces and corners, and Dorgu is reliable in offense and defense. Lammens has only played four games thus far, but he has shown a commanding certainty in goal, especially on crosses.

The Style of Play

The 3-4-2-1 formation is a Ruben Amorim staple. Although the manager has come under fire multiple times for this formation, he has not yielded. In fact, he has defended his chosen strategy over and over again. And the results seem to be here. Man Utd is 8th in the Premier League, but only two points behind second-place Man City.

With Lammens’ arrival, Amorim has implemented his beloved long and precise kicks. The team has also displayed an increase in quick and precise passes all over the pitch. Finally, the players have turned to in-swinging set-pieces and corners. These crosses target players like Šeško, De Ligt, and Maguire, who cause chaos in the opposition box. This style of play could very well bring Man Utd back on top.

The Mentality

Ruben Amorim is not a man who takes losing lightly. In fact, during his first season in charge, he had a notable incident after a 3-1 loss to Brighton. He allegedly raged and ranted, even going so far as to break the locker room TV. He has always been of the opinion that losses and draws are unacceptable at Manchester United. That is precisely why so many fans stand behind him.

You can often see Amorim by the sideline, raging at his players and the referees. He is constantly engaged in the game in a way only a former player can be. Whether this win-first mentality will transfer to the players and performances remains to be seen.

The Ownership

Manchester United has been going through growing pains on the field and off of it. Sir Jim Ratcliffe originally purchased a 25% stake in Manchester United in 2023 from the U.S. family, the Glazers. After nearly a year, the British billionaire increased his stake to 30%. Sir Ratcliffe has made some unpopular decisions— like giving the Europa League Final tickets to sponsors, not staff.

That being said, he has also brought in fresh energy. After his arrival at Manchester United, the club finally renovated the training center Carrington. With these new facilities and a focus on hungry players, this change in ownership could play a key role.

Summary

Whether Ruben Amorim will put Man Utd back on track remains to be seen. What we can say at this point is that there are major changes afoot at the club. The manager has sent out Højlund, Onana, and Rashford on loan, selling Garnacho the past summer. This sends a message that no one’s place in the team is guaranteed.

While Manchester United still stumbles— like the 2-2 tie against Nottingham Forrest, there are reasons to be hopeful. Five managers, two interim managers, and two caretaker managers couldn’t handle the weight of Manchester United after Sir Alex. But, maybe Ruben Amorim can bring the joy to the Stretford End again.