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Manchester United legend Gary Neville has singled out the “worst decision” Ruben Amorim made during his time in the Old Trafford dugout.
Turbulent spell
Amorim was dismissed by United in December last year after an extremely challenging 14 months in charge.
He arrived with great fanfare and lofty expectations, but his time at the club fell largely short of the hype. The Portuguese coach led United to a lowly 15th-placed finish in the Premier League last term, while also losing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Despite overwhelming evidence that he did not have the players for his favoured 3-4-3 formation, he still stubbornly stuck to it and repeatedly declared that he would not adapt.
Inconsistency became the hallmark of United under his watch. Although there were signs of improvement this season, stark reality checks, such as the September defeat to Brentford, served as timely reminders that deep-rooted issues still remained.
Then there were clashes with some players, most notably Marcus Rashford. Amorim was eventually sacked after his public outburst, in which he took aim at the club’s leadership. It then emerged that his relationship with director of football, Jason Wilcox, had irreparably broken down.
However, according to Neville, the biggest mistake Amorim made at United was his puzzling treatment of Kobbie Mainoo.
Neville reveals Amorim’s biggest mishap
Amorim struggled to find a place in his plans for Mainoo, prompting the player to ask for a loan exit in the closing stages of the summer transfer window. United declined Mainoo’s request.
The England midfielder failed to start a Premier League game all term, with his only start coming in the humiliating EFL Cup defeat to Grimsby Town. It’s believed that Mainoo was strongly considering his options ahead of the winter window, but Amorim’s departure handed him a lifeline.
The 20-year-old has started all five games interim head coach Michael Carrick has taken charge of, playing a key role in all of them as United remain unbeaten.
Ian Wright claimed that Mainoo has “embarrassed” Amorim, while Gary Lineker argued that the United star should consider suing Amorim for almost wrecking his career.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Neville echoed Wright and Lineker’s sentiments.
The former United captain said, “Kobbie Mainoo didn’t even get a chance under Ruben really.”
“If you think about it now and look at Mainoo in this team, that looks like the worst decision Ruben Amorim made.”
United return to action next Monday when they face Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images
The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
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