Alan Shearer Explains Why Ruben Amorim Still Holds Manchester United Job Despite Poor Run

Manchester United’s troubles deepened on Saturday following a 3-1 defeat to Brentford in the Premier League, yet manager Ruben Amorim remains in charge despite mounting pressure.

Igor Thiago struck twice inside the opening 20 minutes for the Bees, before Benjamin Sesko pulled one back for the Red Devils. However, United’s hopes of a comeback were crushed when Mathias Jensen sealed Brentford’s win with a stoppage-time goal.

The result leaves United languishing in 14th place, with just a 27% win rate under Amorim despite significant financial investment in the squad.

Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes the Portuguese tactician is still in the job not because of the hefty compensation he would command if dismissed, but because Manchester United’s owners are reluctant to admit they made a mistake in appointing him in the first place.

On The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer said:

“He [Amorim] was out-schooled by Keith Andrews [Brentford boss]. When you look at Graham Potter at West Ham — 26 per cent win percentage and fired for that — Amorim’s got 27 per cent despite the fortunes that have been spent.
Currently, they’re 14th despite all the money being spent. I genuinely believe the owners have made so many errors in the last 18 months, it would look terrible to admit another error and sack him.”

Manchester United now turn their attention to next weekend’s clash against newly promoted Sunderland, a game many see as a must-win for Amorim to steady the sinking ship.

Opinion: Pride Over Progress?

Alan Shearer’s assessment touches on a painful truth for Manchester United fans: sometimes, big clubs value optics over outcomes. Amorim’s poor run of results would normally spell the end for most managers, but the fear of embarrassment and the need to project stability appear to outweigh footballing logic.

United’s problem is not just tactical—it’s cultural. The ownership has been hesitant to act decisively, and the longer this drags on, the more costly it could become both on the pitch and in the dressing room. Football is a results business, and excuses cannot mask what fans see weekly: a team underperforming despite massive investment.

The question now is whether United’s hierarchy will finally put pride aside and prioritize progress—or if their stubbornness will allow the decline to deepen further.