Paul Merson: Ruben Amorim would have been 'amazing' at this Premier League club as Man United sack looms
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Credit: Imago / Sky Sports News
Harri Burton
Sat 20 September 2025 13:20, UK
Paul Merson made a stunning claim about where Ruben Amorim would have had more success as his future remains under pressure at Man United.
Football Insider understands that Amorim will be given more time at Man United, but after losing to Man City last weekend, the Red Devils have just one win from their first five games of the 2025-26 campaign.
Man United were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Grimsby Town in that run of games, with the club also sitting 14th in the Premier League table before facing Chelsea on Saturday, 20 September.
Time is running out for the former Sporting CP to prove his worth at Old Trafford, especially are a summer of big spending on the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko.
If Amorim had been scouted by a different Premier League club, however, he may have had more success.
Credit: Imago
Speaking about the manager’s refusal to change his style of play, sticking with his three-at-the-back formation, Merson wholeheartedly believes that Stamford Bridge would have been a better destination.
“He believes in the way he plays, and if he gets the sack here, he’ll go to another club, he’ll play three at the back, and he’ll be successful,” he said on Sky Sports News (20 September).
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“If he’d have gone to Chelsea, he’d have been a smash.
Chelsea have the players to play three at the back, with wing-backs in [Malo] Gusto, [Marc] Cucurella, and Reece James.
Even Neto could play there.”
Chelsea fans will likely disagree with the claims, not because Amorim would not have more success with his squad, but because many would now hate the idea of Enzo Maresca not being at Stamford Bridge.
Amorim has already joked that Sir Jim Ratcliffe offered him a new contract despite the ongoing turmoil, and that humour is unlikely to have gone down well with the supporters.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, however, Matt Le Tissier believes that Man United will give Amorim more time to turn things around, unless the Red Devils fail to win in the next handful of games.
The voices around Old Trafford are becoming louder and louder, and there is only so long that the hierarchy can ignore that, but it remains to be seen who would take over.
Nottingham Forest have appointed Ange Postecoglou, so the available contenders are likely to be Gareth Southgate, Joachim Low, Nuno Espirito Santo, or Xavi, to name just a few.