Tactics, transfers and turmoil - inside the fall of Amorim

"It came during an August trip to the seaside for a Carabao Cup match that went horribly wrong for United - an embarrassing 12-11 defeat on penalties the first time in the club's history they had been beaten by a team in the fourth tier. Amorim's post-match comments smacked of someone who was about to admit the job was too much for him, only to climb down a couple of days later when he said emotions frequently get the better of him and had led him to saying unwise things in public."

"As with many aspects of his personality, once Amorim is on a set course, he will not change. It is something that would contribute to his downfall. One critic close to the dressing room said privately that while Amorim was enthralling when he spoke to the media, it was all he was actually good at. A damning assessment, but harsh too."

"His last match was a 1-1 draw with Leeds - a result that leaves them a credible sixth in the Premier League, but one sandwiched by headline-grabbing comments made to journalists. His first interaction with the media on Friday included a thinly disguised admission there were splits behind the scenes. After the game, he launched his final broadside in his last answer, which included the statement he "would not quit". That, effectively, meant United had to either back Amorim or sack him. With his tactics an ongoing concern and the hierarchy already distinctly unimpressed by his brutal dismissal of academy players - as well as criticism of senior members of the squad - they were always likely to choose the second option."

Ruben Amorim's 14-month tenure at Manchester United featured public outbursts and a humiliating Carabao Cup exit at Grimsby, where United lost 12-11 on penalties to a fourth-tier side. Post-match remarks suggested he might be overwhelmed, then he retracted them saying emotions often get the better of him and cause unwise public comments. Amorim's stubborn personality and refusal to change contributed to internal divisions. A critic said he was enthralling with the media but that was his primary strength. A 1-1 draw with Leeds left United sixth but was overshadowed by comments implying splits and his declaration he "would not quit", prompting the hierarchy to sack him amid tactical concerns and disputes over player treatment.

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