Man Utd
United Back Amorim for Now as Pressure Builds Ahead of Sunderland Clash
United hierarchy remain publicly behind Ruben Amorim ahead of Sunderland despite mounting criticism.
Manchester United are reported to be maintaining faith in Ruben Amorim despite growing calls for his dismissal. The club were beaten 3–1 by Brentford last weekend, and a defeat to newly promoted Sunderland, who have risen as high as fifth in the table this season, would increase scrutiny on the Portuguese manager.
Journalist Laurie Whitwell outlined the current thinking within United’s hierarchy on The Athletic’s Talk of the Devils podcast, describing sustained support from Sir Jim Ratcliffe. He said: “I think it’s a big match, I certainly think that Ruben Amorim needs a positive result. They beat to Sunderland, don’t they, who have been pretty good so far this season,” he said. “…from speaking to people that even if they lost to Sunderland, I don’t think it would be the end for Ruben Amorim.
“I think Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the ultimate decision maker on this really. He would take recommendations from Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox, and the Glazers certainly have a voice on this as well, Joel Glazer in particular I’d imagine would have an opinion, but Ratcliffe is the one to decide really and I’m told [Ratcliffe] wants to give Amorim the full season.
“It’s a new squad, to a degree, and him trying to get his methods across even more, so we can debate whether that’s the right choice or not but that’s the current messaging from the very top with Sir Jim Ratcliffe.”
Much of the criticism of Amorim has centred on his use of the 3-4-2-1 formation. He has largely held to that system, reportedly warning club officials they would have to sack him if they wanted something different, though he admitted this week that he may need to be more flexible.
Defender Matthijs de Ligt has insisted the formation is not to blame, and summer signing Bryan Mbeumo has called on team-mates to shoulder more responsibility for poor displays, arguing the problems are not down to Amorim. There has been less sympathy from Wayne Rooney, who admitted he has “no faith” in Amorim to reverse the decline.
A range of potential successors has been mentioned in the media, with Xavi and Oliver Glasner among those linked to the job if it becomes available.
Arsenal
October Premier League award nominees announced
Premier League October award nominees include standout performers and managers across the division.
The Premier League has named the contenders for its October 2026 Player and Manager of the Month awards, with eight players and six managers included on the respective shortlists.
Bournemouth forward Evanilson enjoyed a productive month, finishing October with four goals and one assist from four appearances as his team beat Sunderland, Manchester United and Leeds United after a slow opening to the season.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson also reached four goals in the month. The former Chelsea player scored twice in the 2-1 win over Manchester City and also found the net in draws against Brentford and Fulham.
Arsenal are represented by Ezri Konsa and Declan Rice after a perfect month. Konsa impressed in defence while William Saliba was absent, keeping two clean sheets in three outings and scoring his first goal for the club. Rice contributed two important assists at the other end.
Jack Rudoni’s form has helped Coventry City. The newly promoted side took two wins from four matches in October, with Rudoni scoring three times as they moved further away from the relegation zone.
Tottenham Hotspur also had an unbeaten month, and Jan Paul van Hecke played a key role in wins over Coventry, Chelsea and Crystal Palace. No player attempted or completed more passes than the Dutch defender last month.
Brighton have two nominees in Luka Vušković and Bart Verbruggen. Three clean sheets in four matches brought recognition for the Seagulls’ defence.
On the managerial shortlist, Chelsea scored more goals than any other team in October with nine, while Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta guided his side to the top of the table. Roberto De Zerbi, Unai Emery, Fabian Hürzeler and Marco Rose complete the list after strong runs during the month.
Month
Player
Club
August
João Pedro
Chelsea
September
Pascal Groß
Brighton
Month
Manager
Club
August
Sergej Jakirović
Hull
September
Aston Villa
Carrick Gets Breathing Space After United’s Roma Fightback
United’s comeback over Roma offers Carrick relief, but Villa and the November break still loom.
Old Trafford has staged many remarkable evenings, but Tuesday’s 3-2 Champions League win over Roma may prove especially significant for Michael Carrick. Trailing by two goals inside 18 minutes, United looked to be heading for a damaging defeat before a Matheus Cunha-inspired recovery changed the mood entirely.
The victory does not erase the wider concerns around the team, yet it at least gives Carrick a platform before the weekend trip to Aston Villa. That match will be United’s final fixture before the November international break, a point at which the club’s decision-makers will have a clear chance to weigh up the manager’s future and consider whether a change is needed.
At half-time, with boos around the stadium and United behind, Carrick’s position appeared seriously threatened. Instead, the second half offered a striking response. Any suggestion that the players had stopped battling for him was undermined by a much sharper and more determined 45 minutes.
The numbers reflected the shift. In the opening half, United produced just 0.24 expected goals, five shots and one effort on target, while Roma held the edge in every key area. After the break, the hosts generated 2.46 expected goals, registered 10 shots and placed five efforts on target, scoring three times in the process.
That turnaround gives Carrick a measure of relief and guarantees he will lead the side against Villa. United could still have acted before the break if another poor result had followed, but the 45-year-old now has another opportunity to strengthen his case.
Villa are unbeaten in their last five Premier League matches, yet United can draw comfort from the recent record in this fixture, having won six of the last eight meetings and 13 of the last 15 at Old Trafford.
Even so, the pressure remains intense. United have won only three of their 14 matches across all competitions this season, while public criticism from Lisandro Martínez and Bruno Fernandes has added to the strain. Carrick may have bought time, but the wider picture still leaves his future uncertain.
Aston Villa
Cunha available for Aston Villa after Champions League dismissal
Cunha’s Champions League red-card ban will not rule him out of Manchester United’s Aston Villa fixture.
Matheus Cunha’s eventful Champions League night against Roma ended with celebration, controversy and a suspension that will not affect Manchester United this weekend.
Cunha was central to the comeback, first by earning the penalty that helped change the game and then by scoring the winner after United had been pushed into a strong late position. Bruno Fernandes had earlier converted a retaken penalty early in the second half, before Cunha levelled after a Leo Balerdi error and then finished clinically at Devis Vásquez’s near post following Shea Lacey’s pass.
The Brazilian’s decisive contribution came with a cost. He collected two yellow cards in the closing stages, leaving him with a one-match ban. Even so, Manchester United can still call on him against Aston Villa on Sunday, because disciplinary suspensions from UEFA competition do not carry into the Premier League.
That means the ban will instead be served later this month, when United meet Sporting CP in Lisbon on Matchday 5 of the league phase, on Nov. 25.
Cunha’s first booking came after his goal, as he took off his shirt and then jumped into the crowd, both of which counted against him. The second arrived after Jesús Gil Manzano, who had awarded United a penalty at the start of the second half, was left with no option but to caution him again for his stoppage-time challenge on Balerdi.
It was a dramatic conclusion to a night that had already swung sharply in United’s favour, with Cunha emerging as the key figure in a revival that may have eased the pressure on Michael Carrick, at least for now.
