On 5/1, Manchester United decided to sack Ruben Amorim after 14 months. Under the Portuguese manager, the Manchester club played 63 matches, recording 25 wins, 18 draws, and 21 losses, a win rate of 38,1%. They scored 122 goals and conceded 114.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Gary Neville urged Manchester United's board to return to the club's inherent identity in their search for a successor. According to the former English defender, the continuous appointment of managers with differing philosophies has caused the team to lose its direction since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Manager Ruben Amorim observes Manchester United's two-zero victory over Sunderland in the Premier League at Old Trafford stadium, Manchester, England on 4/10/2025. Photo: AP

"Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, David Moyes, Erik ten Hag, and Ruben Amorim all brought very different styles", the former English defender stated. "The issue is not their capability, but that those ideas do not align with how Manchester United should inherently play. These experiments must stop."

Neville believes Manchester United must protect its identity, similar to clubs like Ajax or Barca, which do not alter their philosophy for any individual. He cited a statement by legend Bobby Charlton, who once described Manchester United as a team pursuing an adventurous, attacking style of play, giving opportunities to young players, and always aiming to entertain the fans.

"Manchester United must appoint a manager who aligns with the club's identity", Neville emphasized. "That means fast, attacking, aggressive, and emotional football. I do not believe Manchester United should change for any manager."

Despite the mid-season coaching change, Neville remains optimistic about Manchester United's chances of qualifying for the Champions League, with the team currently sixth and just three points behind the top 4. He also predicts that interim manager Darren Fletcher will soon abandon the three-defender system, which caused much controversy under Amorim, and revert to the familiar four-man defense.

However, Neville admitted it is difficult to predict the season's outcome if Fletcher has to lead the team until the end of the season. "Manchester United once appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on a short-term basis, which created a significant boost. But there was also a period when Ralf Rangnick was given temporary charge, and things went poorly. We have experienced both scenarios", the 50-year-old former defender said.

Sharing an optimistic view, Jamie Carragher believes Manchester United is still in a favorable position to compete for a European cup spot. According to the former English defender, with the current squad quality, a capable Premier League manager could certainly help the team maintain a position in the top group.

"Manchester United never truly inspired confidence under Amorim, but they are still sixth", Carragher observed. "With many direct rivals like Liverpool or Chelsea struggling, Manchester United has a real chance to compete for a Champions League spot. I am not sure they will make the top 4, but a European cup spot is a feasible goal."

On 7/1, the Red Devils will visit Burnley in interim manager Fletcher's debut match.

Hong Duy (according to Sky Sports)