Just what Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the powerbrokers who headhunted Ruben Amorim imagined, but for one minor detail. The winner was not their glamorous newcomer but the unfashionable figure of Nuno Espirito Santo, who has steered Nottingham Forest to heights few dared to think they could touch. As for Amorim, his honeymoon period seems fleeting. The problems at Manchester United, it appears, could only be concealed for three matches.
Since then, Amorim has suffered back-to-back defeats. If losing at Arsenal had a logic, being beaten by Forest at Old Trafford was the sort of chastening setback that happened all too often in Erik ten Hag’s final 14 months in charge. Amorim’s United displayed familiar flaws and new shortcomings, contributing to their own downfall with individual errors, slow starts and setpiece failings. Much as in Ten Hag’s unravelling, United were too open, too liable to be counterattacked and left the midfield too empty. Some of this was Ten Hag-style chaos.
This story is from the December 08, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 08, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Relax Kemi, history's on your side in the battle with Farage
Conservative MPs are worried. They weren’t worried when Andrea Jenkyns, formerly one of their number, defected to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party.
Unlike Starmer, Farage's charisma lights up the room
The extraordinary poll showing Reform UK has overtaken the Labour Party in popularity can be attributed to many factors.
Okolie follows in footsteps of giants with weight switch
Lawrence Okolie is a big lad, and he has always been a big lad.
Year of living dangerously: our season awards for 2024
Kieran Jackson on best driver, biggest shock and much more
Injury-plagued City cannot afford to slip up in Turin
Manchester City's manager had his head in his hands.
Liverpool's imperfect win maintains perfect campaign
The mathematics of a complicated competition may remain unclear but one element is apparent.
Thames Water's operation is simply not good enough
Deeply in debt and proposing huge price hikes, the troubled company is holding customers to ransom
Murdoch loses court case in real-life 'Succession' battle
Rupert Murdoch's attempt to give his eldest son control of his family media empire has been blocked by a US court after a lengthy legal battle with three of his other children.
Netanyahu takes witness stand in corruption trial
Benjamin Netanyahu has become Israel’s first sitting prime minister to testify as a criminal defendant – having taken the witness stand in his lengthy corruption trial.
US shooting suspect shouts as he's dragged into court
Mangione: 'It's an insult to the intelligence of Americans'
