Amorim secures seat after owners see in-depth data

The owners still trust Amorim.

Ruben Amorim continues to receive support from the Manchester United hierarchy, who agree with the manager that the worst start to a Premier League campaign in 33 years cannot obscure some of the team's progress.

Data doesn't lie

A 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad on 14 September left United in 14th place, with just four points from four games. They were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by fourth-tier Grimsby Town.

After the defeat to Man City, Amorim insisted that Man Utd “are playing better but the results don’t reflect that”. Despite the disappointment of the start internally, the club’s board are said to see positive signs as technical data shows clear improvements in some key areas.

Man Utd are currently top of the Premier League for shots and touches in the opposition box, second for expected goals (xG) and xG from open play, fourth for shots on target and fifth for passes into the box - all significant increases on last season.

Man Utd's attacking stats under Amorim.

However, their conversion rate of just 5.7% - the fourth lowest in the league - suggests Amorim and his players need to be better at taking their chances. United face another test this weekend when they host Chelsea at Old Trafford, before travelling to Brentford and then returning home to face Sunderland.

Amorim has won just eight of his 31 Premier League games since taking over at Manchester United last November - a record that leaves them bottom of the Premier League's regulars in that period.

While results need to improve and individual mistakes need to be eliminated, the Man Utd board believe that actual performances are better than the scoreline suggests, and the data shows that the fundamentals are all on track.

Waiting for things to get better

Injuries to new signings Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount are seen as a blow, while the squad lacks the depth to compensate for the loss of key players. Amorim has also yet to start a game for the £207m attacking trio of Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, while goalkeeper Senne Lammens - a last-minute signing - is yet to feature.

Manchester United's patience could be tested if results continue to decline, but there is also recognition that the cycle of sacking and appointing managers over the years has repeatedly backfired on the club.

Man Utd have earned 31 points since Amorim took charge of the team

Amorim’s controversial 3-4-2-1 system and perceived lack of flexibility have come under scrutiny, though. Some players have looked out of place in it, and this season has seen captain Bruno Fernandes – United’s best player – pulled out of his preferred No. 10 role in favour of Cunha and Mbeumo, while also plugging the gaping hole in the No. 6 position after the club failed to add to it in the summer.

Dressing room morale was rated positive in pre-season, but a run of poor results has sapped confidence and posed further challenges.

There are clubs waiting for Man Utd to let go of Amorim

Amorim insists Man Utd will have to sack him if they want to change their tactical system. Meanwhile, João Noronha Lopes - Benfica's presidential candidate - has publicly expressed his desire to bring Amorim back to the Portuguese club if he beats Rui Costa in the presidential race.

Lopes, Nuno Gomes (Amorim's close friend and former teammate) and Pedro Ferreira were at the Etihad on September 14 to watch Man Utd lose to Man City.

Elsewhere, Man Utd are due to publish their full financial results for last season on 17 September, which will outline the impact of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s drastic cost-cutting measures. A year ago, Man Utd reported a net loss of £113.2m for the 2023/24 season, but Ratcliffe has overseen 450 job cuts and other cost-cutting measures in the past 18 months.

Perhaps these financial figures make Man Utd's board of directors reluctant to part with the costly Amorim plan.

Source: https://znews.vn/amorim-vung-ghe-sau-khi-gioi-chu-xem-so-lieu-chuyen-sau-post1585494.html