Ruben Amorim Saves Manchester United Job With Tactical Masterstroke in Crucial Sunderland Win

After Manchester United defeated Sunderland 2-0, two VERY IMPORTANT selection choices helped Ruben Amorim retain his position, and it now appears that he will not be fired over the international break.

Although the Red Devils have remained supportive of their manager, there has been mounting pressure behind the scenes, and the club’s board has even started considering possible candidates like Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner.

Earlier this week (September 29), sources told Fraser Fletcher of TEAMtalk that there are increasing doubts about Amorim’s capacity to lead United.

📈

Trending

Benjamin Sesko Faces Criticism — But These Eight Summer Signings Have Been Even Bigger Disappointments

Are Manchester United Still Up for Sale? Ratcliffe’s Role Questioned as £4.79bn Bidder Walks Away

Amorim “looks knackered” and “knows” it hasn’t been working thus far, according to one source, who told Fletcher this straight.

He made two very significant choices about his team today, the manager decided to continue with his 3-4-3 formation in spite of the ongoing rumours on the internet.

Goalie Senne Lammens was given a debut by Amorim, and he played a generally good game, especially considering it was the 23-year-old’s first time playing in the Premier League. The Old Trafford supporters applauded nearly everything he did during the match.

The Portuguese coach’s choice to bench Altay Bayindir in favour of Lammens was not entirely evident, but it turned out to be the right one as the Belgian kept a clean sheet and made one particularly significant save in the first half from a strong Granit Xhaka attempt.

In order to preserve his clean sheet and United’s 2-0 lead, he also produced a crucial stop in the 89th minute.

Mason Mount was also started by Amorim. To make room for him, he had to remove Matheus Cunha from the starting lineup, thus it was a difficult decision.

Although the England international has suffered from injuries in recent seasons, the manager’s faith in him paid off.

The 26-year-old Mount played brilliantly, especially in the first half, and after a nice cross from Bryan Mbeumo, he finished calmly to score the game-winning goal in the eighth minute.

The Brazilian midfielder did well once he took the pitch at Old Trafford, playing 65 minutes before being replaced by Cunha.

United’s second goal was scored by Benjamin Sesko. After Sunderland was unable to handle a long throw from Diogo Dalot, he scored from close range.

Overall, the Red Devils’ performance was considerably better. Amorim will now take a two-week international break before facing fierce rivals Liverpool in the Premier League.

Amorim currently has a good chance of keeping his job, but if United can’t build on today’s significant victory, pressure will increase once more.

What today actually bought Amorim was breathing room, not a miracle. That win at Old Trafford settles a few nervous voices and gives him a headline to point at, but the underlying questions that have been whispered around Carrington are still very much live. 

Selection choices like starting Senne Lammens and trusting Mason Mount were bold, and they paid off, yet they also expose a fault line in how United are built right now. 

Do you pick the players who feel right for a single game, or do you start constructing a dependable spine that can carry you through weeks of pressure?

Lammens’ debut matters more than just the clean sheet. It forces the club to confront goalkeeper succession, a conversation that has been murky since the summer. 

If Lammens continues to impress, the goalkeeper debate becomes less hypothetical and more urgent for the board. For Amorim, that is both a blessing and a trap. 

A clear answer at keeper would allow him to focus on midfield shapes, but it also raises expectations on his next big choices, which will be scrutinised even more heavily.

Mount’s inclusion is a neat micro case study in game management. Bringing him in showed that Amorim can still make a brave call and back it up, even if it meant dropping Cunha for the start. 

It also revealed how United might need to reshuffle roles so talents are complementary rather than competing for the same space. Too many creative players in adjacent channels and you end up with chaos, not chances. 

The coach now needs to decide whether to lean into a system that prioritises Mount’s connection play, or to adjust the system to get Cunha and Sesko firing in a way that feels cohesive.

The international break presents the classic problem. Time to work is exactly what Amorim needs, but breaks can also sap momentum and let narratives harden. Injuries, a change in media tone, or an ill-timed tweet can undo the goodwill earned today. 

This is when coaching staff must be precise with messaging. Small, targeted training goals will keep players focused, and micro-adjustments to set piece routines and pressing triggers could be the difference in three weeks time.

In short, today gives Amorim a platform, not a pardon. If he uses the break to clarify roles, to set simple, repeatable patterns and to protect confidence in young players, that platform can grow into stability. 

If he drifts back into reactive selections, the conversation about replacements will re-ignite faster than anyone in the boardroom would like.