Rooney: ‘Soul has gone’ at Manchester United, questions Amorim’s leadership

Wayne Rooney has sounded the alarm on his former club, claiming that the "soul has gone" at Manchester United, raising doubts over head coach Ruben Amorim’s ability to turn the team around.

Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Brentford saw United collect just 34 points from Amorim’s 33 league games in charge, and the side has yet to register back-to-back wins under the Portuguese head coach. 

After leading the English giants to their lowest-ever Premier League last season, as well as falling to defeat in the Europa League final against Tottenham, the Red Devils have lost three of their six league games so far, as well as crashing out of the EFL Cup to League Two side Grimsby Town. 

Sitting 14th in the Premier League, United are now winless in their last eight Premier League away games (D2 L6), their longest run since March and October 2019 (D3 L5).

The club’s all-time leading scorer expressed his concerns on the latest episode of BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show: “I am not seeing anything which is giving me any confidence, there needs to be big changes in my opinion,” Rooney said. “Manager, players, whatever that is. Whatever it takes to get Manchester United back.”

"There needs to be a clear message from the owners.

"Whether that is the Glazers, [minority owner] Sir Jim Ratcliffe, there has to be a message of where this club is going. At the minute we are all sitting there waiting for it to crumble."

Since Amorim’s first game as United boss in November 2024, no team has conceded the first goal in more different Premier League games than Manchester United (21).

"I honestly hope he can turn it round and he does. But if you're saying to me, 'do you believe he will?', then, after everything I've seen, honestly, I've got no faith in it," Rooney added.

"The soul has gone from the club. It needs a new engine, a new lease of life. It needs something to kickstart that football club."