Manchester United CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox are convinced Ruben Amorim has the support of the dressing room, sources told ESPN’s Rob Dawson.
The prominent executives, who were appointed by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, have reportedly held informal talks with key members of the first-team squad, including captain Bruno Fernandes, and the overall feedback on the embattled head coach was positive.
The discussions weren’t intentional attempts to “sound out” players on Amorim’s future, Dawson adds.
Senior members of Amorim’s team have also publicly voiced their backing for the former Sporting CP boss. Mason Mount said after scoring in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sunderland that the players are “100% behind the gaffer.”
Matthijs de Ligt stressed after a recent 3-1 loss at Brentford that the players need to take responsibility for poor performances. “You guys always talk about the system,” the defender said of the media’s tendency to focus criticism on Amorim’s game plans rather than individual flaws, according to the Press Association via ESPN.
Significant improvements were expected at Manchester United this season after they recorded 18 defeats and finished in 15th place in the Premier League last term. It was their worst top-flight campaign since they were relegated at the end of the 1973-74 season.
Amorim’s side is currently 10th in the table with three wins, one draw, and three defeats. United’s Premier League losses were in tough fixtures against Arsenal, Manchester City, and Brentford, but their worst result of the season thus far was their elimination from the League Cup second round at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town.