Man Utd's five-man managerial shortlist after sacking and why Jim Ratcliffe made decision

Ruben Amorim outshone the likes of Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter to secure the Manchester United job following Erik ten Hag's dismissal. A year on to the day from the Dutchman's departure, Amorim remains at the helm in Manchester, recently celebrating his third consecutive victory over Brighton.

The Portuguese tactician was among a five-man shortlist for the job at Old Trafford, which included Southgate, Potter, Thomas Frank and Xavi Hernandez. This came after Ten Hag's tenure became unsustainable, with just four wins in 14 matches across all competitions in the 2024/25 season. Ten Hag was shown the door 115 days after United triggered a 12-month contract extension, and ex-United ace Ruud van Nistelrooy took temporary charge whilst the hunt for a new manager begun. Amorim emerged as the standout candidate for the position, leaving Sporting CP on November 1, 2024, to sign a three-year deal in Manchester.

Despite a rollercoaster first year in charge, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has remained steadfast in his support for the now-40-year-old manager amidst intense scrutiny. The INEOS chairman, who holds a 25% stake in United and oversees football operations, admitted to The Times back in March that Amorim needs time to make his mark on the team.

At that point, United were languishing at the lower end of the Premier League table and had advanced in the Europa League - only to end up in 15th place and lose the European final to Tottenham Hotspur. Despite the disappointing conclusion to the 2024/25 season, Ratcliffe saw potential in Amorim.

He said: "I think coaches are emotional, and Ruben's no exception to that. And he's a young coach. And he's not perfect.

"You know, he's not a guy who ... he's got to be good on the stage, but we want him to be good on the grass. And part of that is life on the stage, isn't it?

"You know, you're a young guy, you've come into the Premier League for the first time in your life, you've come in mid-season, it's not your natural language. You have to give the guy a bit of a break.

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"I mean, give me a hard time, I have no problem with that. But give Ruben a break. I think he's a good guy; he's working hard, and I think he's doing a great job."

When questioned if he thought Amorim was the right person for the role, Ratcliffe added: "Yeah, I do, honestly. I really, really like Ruben. He's a very thoughtful guy. Every time I go to the training ground, I speak to Ruben.

"I sit down and have a cup of coffee with him and tell him where it's going wrong, and he tells me to f*** off. I like him."

Amorim's approach appears to have won over Ratcliffe, and it seems the businessman's faith in the young coach is paying off. Currently, United are comfortably positioned in sixth place in the Premier League, having recently secured victories against Sunderland, Brighton and reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield.

United are neck and neck with city rivals Manchester City in terms of points, and are just six points behind league leaders Arsenal as we head into November. With away games against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur on the horizon, the mood around Old Trafford has shifted from despair to hope among the fans.