How Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United start compares to his recent predecessors
Ruben Amorim has lost three of his first six Premier League games in charge of Manchester United after Sunday’s humbling against Bournemouth.
Here, we compare his record to his recent predecessors at Old Trafford.
W1 D3 L2, F7 A9
United’s greatest manager of recent times had an inauspicious start of his own in the old First Division, losing to Oxford and waiting until his third game for the first goal, from full-back John Sivebaek, and win of his reign against QPR. United finished that season 11th but Ferguson went on to win 13 league titles and 25 major trophies with the club.
W2 D1 L3, F8 A8
Ferguson’s hand-picked successor announced himself by winning the Community Shield and then beating Swansea 4-1 – but defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City quickly stalled his momentum and he failed to last the first season of his six-year contract.
W2 D2 L2, F11 A9
Swansea were also Van Gaal’s first opponents and handed him a 2-1 setback as he went winless in his first three league games, while also losing to MK Dons in the League Cup. QPR offered up a first win but he then lost 5-3 to Leicester. The Dutchman left after two years with an FA Cup win to his name.
W4 D0 L2, F12 A7
Another opening Community Shield win was followed by league victories over Bournemouth, Southampton and Hull before Mourinho’s first real test brought defeat to Manchester City. His two and a half seasons in charge yielded a Europa League title and a League Cup.
W6 D0 L0, F17 A4
Initially a caretaker replacement for Mourinho, the popular former striker won his first eight games overall with two of them in the FA Cup as he earned the permanent role with 14 wins from 19 games in caretaker charge.
W3 D2 L1, F8 A5
United went with the