Pressure Intensifies on Ruben Amorim After Cup Shock

Manchester United sit 14th in the Premier League after a 3-1 defeat to Brentford and a shock Carabao Cup exit to Grimsby, leaving Ruben Amorim with 34 points from 33 league games and mounting pressure despite reported board backing. High-profile critics including Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have delivered blunt verdicts — Rooney saying the club has “lost its soul,” Neville attacking tactical decisions such as playing Mason Mount at left wing‑back, and Carragher urging decisive action. Pundits and former players have singled out Amorim’s tactical rigidity (notably the 3-4-2-1) and heavy summer spending as factors undermining player confidence and identity at Old Trafford. Reports say the board has drawn up a shortlist of potential replacements — names linked include Oliver Glasner (reportedly willing to move), Kieran McKenna, Gareth Southgate and Andoni Iraola, while Carlo Ancelotti has also been floated. Next weekend’s match at newly promoted Sunderland is being viewed as potentially pivotal for Amorim’s future, and calls are growing from media, former players and supporters for the owners to act quickly if results do not improve.