Ruben Amorim insisted that authority at Manchester United still rests with Amorim after a 1-1 draw at Leeds United. The head coach underlined that Amorim arrived to manage the club, not just lead training, and rejected suggestions of unrest following earlier comments about playing philosophy and spending power.
United fought back at Elland Road after Brenden Aaronson put Leeds ahead, with Matheus Cunha earning a point. The visitors finished with 15 attempts but tested the goalkeeper only twice. Cunha also saw an effort ruled out before half-time and struck the post late on as United missed a chance to climb above Liverpool.
Questions about Amorim’s influence resurfaced after the match, with focus on whether the board still fully supports the project.
Amorim responded by stressing that the original agreement covers an 18‑month spell, and that Amorim will continue to lead first‑team and wider football decisions until any change is made.
"I notice that you receive selective information about everything," he said. "I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not to be the coach of Manchester United. That is clear. I know that my name is not [Thomas]Tuchel, it's not [Jose] Mourinho, it's not [Antonio] Conte, but I'm the manager of Manchester United, and it's going to be like this for 18 months or when the board decides to change. I'm not going to quit. I will do my job until another guy is here to replace me. I just want to say I'm going to be the manager of this team, not just the coach. I was really clear on that. That is going to finish in 18 months, and then everyone is going to move on. That was the deal. That is my job, not to be a coach. If people cannot handle the Gary Nevilles and the criticisms of everything, we need to change the club. I just want to say that I came here to be the manager of Manchester United, not just the coach. Every departmentthe scouting department, the sport directorneeds to do their job for 18 months, then we move on. "
Under Amorim, Manchester United have now drawn seven league matches this season, with six in the last 11 fixtures. That sequence also features three wins and two defeats, leaving the club close to the Champions League spots but still chasing the top four after failing to overtake Liverpool.
Amorim highlighted that the project involves the whole structure, including recruitment and technical roles, working to the same timeline. The coach repeated that Amorim would not resign and that any change must come from the board. The message was aimed at calming speculation about internal disagreements and transfer‑market control.
On the pitch, the display at Elland Road showed both progress and familiar issues. United enjoyed long spells of control and produced more chances than Leeds, yet lacked precision in the final third. Cunha’s disallowed goal and late effort against the woodwork underlined how close Amorim’s side came to taking all three points.
"Overall, if you see the game, we had more control," he told BBC Sport. "We created more chances, we controlled well, so if you look at the game, you feel the frustration that we had the chance to win. It is a tough match in tough conditions. The game plan was to understand what we did wrong against Wolves. We improved a lot because we were in the right positions. We improved from the last game. It's strange because they started a little bit better in the second half. When we are in control, we need to be focused on every detail. We know against West Ham, we are in control, then one disconnection, there was a goal. We need to be connected all the time. We managed to control our emotions and to score the next goal, and we had a big chance. I think we deserved a little better, but it's okay. "
Amorim pointed out that lessons from recent games, including defeats and late setbacks, shaped the plan at Leeds. United stayed organised for much of the contest and recovered after falling behind. However, Amorim accepted that small lapses, like the one punished by West Ham, continue to cost points in tight matches.
The manager’s firm stance on authority, together with a run of one defeat in eight league outings, shows a club trying to balance off‑field stability with steady on‑field improvement. United remain in contention for a Champions League place, but Amorim believes sharper finishing and constant focus are still required to match those ambitions.
