Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Manchester United could be in jeopardy after just three months, with former United goalkeeper Ben Foster humorously suggesting that the Portuguese manager might be sacked if he loses the next four games.
Read also: Has Bruno Fernandes Become Manchester United’s Biggest Liability
Foster’s remarks reflect the growing frustration with United’s continued struggles under Amorim, who has failed to spark a turnaround since replacing Erik ten Hag in November.
Amorim has endured a rough start, losing five of his first 10 matches, including a dismal 2-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Wolves.
The result, compounded by captain Bruno Fernandes’ red card, leaves United languishing in 14th place in the Premier League. While it’s widely acknowledged that Amorim cannot shoulder all the blame so early into his reign, the poor results are far from ideal for the former Sporting Lisbon coach.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, The Cycling GK, Foster joked about the precarious situation. “Can you imagine if Manchester United sacked another manager before the end of the season? Look at their next fixtures—oh my God.
Newcastle at home, Liverpool away, Arsenal away, and then Southampton at home. They could lose all three big games comfortably. And then comes the monster game: at home to Southampton. Mark it in your diaries, January 16—it’s El Sackico at Old Trafford!”
United’s next three fixtures are against teams currently in the top five: Newcastle, Liverpool, and Arsenal. With expectations for points in these games low, the Southampton clash looms large. On paper, it’s the easiest Premier League fixture of the season, with the Saints sitting bottom of the table after just one win in 18 matches.
Despite Foster’s lighthearted tone, the stakes are high for Amorim, who has already admitted that his job could be at risk if results don’t improve soon. Odds of his dismissal remain slim, with William Hill placing him at 50/1 to be the next Premier League manager to leave, far behind frontrunners like Ange Postecoglou and Julen Lopetegui.
Foster, however, wasn’t just critical of Amorim. He called out the lack of urgency and commitment from United players in the Wolves loss, highlighting key moments like Fernandes’ red card and a lackluster performance from Manuel Ugarte.
“They were absolutely miles off it,” Foster said. “There’s no urgency, no real commitment to the cause. The [Fernandes] red card sums up United’s season—you can’t get three red cards in one season! And that final goal? Ugarte is supposed to be a midfield monster, but he got bullied off the ball. Nowhere near it.”
United’s recent slump adds to an already difficult season, with Amorim yet to establish consistency since taking over. With tough fixtures ahead and fan pressure mounting, the clash against Southampton may well be a defining moment in his short time at Old Trafford. Whether Amorim can weather the storm or become another casualty of United’s turbulent managerial history remains to be seen.
