Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe helicoptered into Manchester United’s training base on Thursday for discussions with head coach Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese boss has been scrutinised in recent weeks following the Red Devils recording just one win in all competitions so far, including a loss on penalties to fourth-tier side Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup.
Ratcliffe’s highly visible Bond-esque entrance led some to wonder whether he was landing with bad news for Amorim.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe visits Ruben Amorim after Manchester United fall to defeat in the derby
Amorim appeared to be feeling the pressure after a damaging defeat to Manchester City (Image credit: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
It follows a 3-0 loss last weekend to rivals Manchester City, after which Amorim intimated that if United wanted a change from his 3-4-2-1 system, the club would need to remove him first.
Speaking on Ratcliffe’s visit, journalist Fabrizio Romano said: “All the meetings with the people in the management, with people from the staff and all these kinds of meetings were already planned internally, even before the Manchester derby result.”
Ratcliffe’s visit to Carrington was planned before the City result, according to reports (Image credit: Getty Images)
That marries up with Amorim’s reaction to the furore, who disarmed journalists in a press conference later that day with characteristic humour.
“New contract, he was offering me a new contract,” Amorim exclaimed in the media briefing, tongue firmly in cheek.
“No, it’s normal things, just to show the support, explaining that it’s a long project. He said many times, ‘This is my third season.’ For me, it’s not.
“So, a normal meeting, and we had several, but in this moment, it’s normal that people pay attention to that.”
Amorim joked in a later press conference that Ratcliffe had arrived to hand him a new contract (Image credit: Getty Images)
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, at this stage, it is still too early to imagine Amorim being sacked.
United have spent the summer buying players for his specific system, one that few coaches play, so to get rid of him now and potentially look at another coach, with a different system, would reflect poorly on the hierarchy’s planning.
Manchester United next face Chelsea, when Premier League action returns this weekend.
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