Wayne Rooney Critiques Manchester United's Performance Under Ruben Amorim

Wayne Rooney Critiques Manchester United's Performance Under Ruben Amorim

Wayne Rooney Critiques Manchester United's Performance Under Ruben Amorim

Wayne Rooney, former captain and record goalscorer of Manchester United, has expressed concerns that the team has "got worse" under the management of Ruben Amorim.

Amorim was appointed on November 1 of last year, following the dismissal of Erik ten Hag. However, after more than ten months in charge, there are few indications that the Portuguese coach is able to turn the team's fortunes around.

The latest setback came during a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the derby, prompting many fans to leave the stadium well before the final whistle.

On a recent episode of The Wayne Rooney Show, available on BBC Sounds, Rooney stated, "I want to be as supportive and positive as I can be towards the manager and the players. But it is very difficult to assert that we are witnessing progression or that there are promising signs for future results. We are seeing none of that, and it is very challenging."

Rooney noted a particularly telling moment towards the end of the match when he observed Manchester United fans leaving the game. "You could hear the fans singing Amorim's name, but the fact that they were leaving the stadium speaks volumes about their disappointment," he remarked. "It is hard to see how this situation can continue. What patterns are emerging that might indicate improvement for the team?"

Last season, United finished 15th in the league with just 42 points, marking their lowest position since the 1989-90 season and their fewest points in a top-flight campaign since being relegated in 1973-74.

Since Amorim's arrival, the club has invested approximately £250 million in new signings while offloading several players from the so-called 'bomb squad.' This has allowed the 40-year-old coach to implement a 3-4-3 formation, a system he is committed to after achieving success at Sporting CP. However, many of the issues that plagued the team last season seem to be resurfacing.

Rooney, who scored 253 goals for United from 2004 to 2017, commented, "After the past year, with Ten Hag's departure and Amorim's arrival, we were promised a change in playing style. However, if the manager is honest, it has gotten worse."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport's YouTube channel and iPlayer, or listen on BBC Sounds.

United Displaying 'Relegation Form'

Manchester United has also endured a humiliating Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby in the early weeks of the 2025-26 season. Alarmingly, the team has managed only two goals from open play and has lost twice in their first four league matches, accumulating just four points—their lowest total at this stage since the 1992-93 season under Sir Alex Ferguson.

While Ferguson had already built a reputation by that time, having secured the FA Cup, League Cup, and European Cup Winners' Cup, Amorim's current win rate stands at only 36% across all competitions, the worst for any permanent Manchester United manager since World War II, with a mere 26% win rate in the league.

Among the 17 teams that have been part of the Premier League since Amorim took charge, his United side shares the worst record—alongside Tottenham—with just 31 points from 31 matches. Rooney stated, "That's relegation form for a significant portion of league seasons. When trying to implement a new style, it is crucial to win games as well."

He also echoed sentiments from other former players now in media roles regarding Amorim's reliance on a two-central-midfielder setup, often against teams that field three. "The issue with this 3-4-3 system is having only two in central midfield. The players lack the energy to cover the entire pitch effectively, leading to them being overrun in that area," he explained. "If you're struggling, you need to add a third midfielder to give yourself a fighting chance."

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