Premier League manager favourite to replace Ruben Amorim at Man United

Manchester United manager latest, Amorim under pressure as Glasner talk grows

Caught Offside report that Manchester United are drawing up contingency plans around Rúben Amorim as 2025 closes, with the mood around Old Trafford shifting from early excitement to uncertainty. The immediate flashpoint was a flat 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, a game that brought familiar issues into focus, blunt attacking output, messy control in midfield, and a growing sense that the current shape is being solved rather than feared.

Amorim pressure point at Old Trafford

Caught Offside note that Amorim has shown an “unwavering commitment to a 3-4-3 system.” After the Wolves stalemate he made his position clear, saying changing approach because of outside noise “would have been the real end” of him. That line reads like a manager protecting identity, and it also underlines how much this moment is about credibility, results too.

In practical terms, the debate is simple, does the system currently maximise the squad, or highlight its gaps. United have looked short of natural width in the final third, and slow to build attacks when opponents sit deep, issues that demand solutions quickly.

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Inside the club, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS were said to have offered strong backing initially, with patience tied to a long term rebuild. United’s distance from the Champions League places has sharpened the scrutiny, particularly when performances look repetitive, with little visible progress.

Glasner name enters United thinking

According to Caught Offside, “Sources close to the agents industry have informed CaughtOffside that the Red Devils have begun working on plans to possibly replace Amorim at Old Trafford.” Publicly, the club continue to show support, privately, they are preparing for different outcomes.

One name being discussed is Oliver Glasner, described internally as a “safe pair of hands.” Caught Offside also flag that Chelsea are closely watching the Palace boss, which matters in a market where timing can shape everything. His profile is helped by silverware too, the report credits Glasner with FA Cup and Community Shield success, including finals wins over Manchester City and Liverpool, experiences that tend to resonate with executives searching for instant authority.

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The report includes a statistical comparison between Amorim’s United spell in 2025 and Glasner’s time at Crystal Palace. Glasner’s win percentage is listed at 50.0% compared with Amorim’s 34.0%, plus Palace are shown scoring more and conceding fewer across a similar match count. Numbers do not tell the full story, yet they help explain why United’s hierarchy are paying attention, and why alternative names such as Xavi and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola are also being mentioned.

January window, leverage and risk

Injuries are flagged as a significant factor limiting Amorim’s choices, with constant reshuffles damaging cohesion. Amorim views January 2026 as pivotal, essentially a chance to recruit players built for his approach. The board’s reported caution is understandable, significant spend often comes with expectation of immediate uplift, and United have not consistently shown that level.

For now, this reads like a club doing due diligence. “Contingency plans are quietly being explored behind the scenes” captures the current feel around United, trust remains, patience is thinner, and the next few weeks could decide whether Amorim gets the runway he feels his project needs.

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As a Manchester United fan, I still want to believe there is a proper story here for Amorim. The 3-4-3 has looked awkward at times, yet it also feels like a system that could click with the right profiles, quick wing backs, a mobile striker, and midfielders who can play forward under pressure. When Amorim says changing tack “would have been the real end” of him, I hear a manager asking for time to build something coherent, not someone refusing to learn.

Glasner being labelled a “safe pair of hands.” makes sense, and his numbers at Palace in the Caught Offside breakdown are hard to ignore. Still, United have chased safety before, and it has rarely delivered a lasting identity. If there is a chance to back a clear plan, January needs to show it, even if it is only glimpses, a more stable press, cleaner chance creation, and a team that looks like it knows what it is trying to do.

My optimistic take is simple, give Amorim the window, judge the next run of fixtures properly, and keep the shortlist warm rather than pulling the trigger early. United need progress that is visible week to week, because results like that Wolves 1-1 drain belief from the stands.