Matthijs De Ligt Responds to Amorim Sack Rumours

Manchester United defender Matthijs De Ligt has vowed that the team will "work hard" to improve under Ruben Amorim after their disappointing Manchester derby defeat to rivals Manchester City.

United were comfortably beaten 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium, with Phil Foden opening the scoring before Erling Haaland netted twice to seal all three points for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Manchester United’s Worst Premier League Start in 33 Years

The defeat leaves United with just four points from their opening four Premier League matches — their worst start to a league campaign in 33 years. The result also highlights a worrying trend, as Amorim currently holds the lowest win percentage of any permanent Manchester United manager since World War II.

Despite mounting pressure, the club hierarchy is still backing the Portuguese head coach, who was only appointed in November last year. After a summer transfer spend of £225 million, expectations were high, but results have yet to match the investment.

De Ligt Backs Amorim Despite Struggles

Speaking after the defeat, De Ligt stressed the importance of staying focused and working harder as a unit. When asked about the speculation surrounding Amorim’s future, he told reporters:

"As we've always done, we just have to work hard. We have to improve as a team and hopefully get better.”

Pressed on whether he believes Amorim will succeed at Old Trafford, De Ligt responded:

"We have to prove it, otherwise it's no use.”

Ruben Amorim has the worst win percentage of any permanent #mufc manager since the Second World War. ❌🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/8CtHnrP867

— UtdDistrict (@UtdDistrict) September 14, 2025

Honest Verdict on the Derby Defeat

De Ligt also reflected on United’s performance against Manchester City, admitting that Pep Guardiola’s men punished their mistakes.

"In the first half, I think they were the better team. But they didn't have a lot of chances. I felt we had a lot of opportunities to create chances. We just couldn’t make the last ball count.

"In the second half, they scored the 2-0 pretty quickly. But then we went 3-0 down in a rather clumsy fashion. We played better in the second half but they were definitely much better. And they have quality players up front. That makes all the difference."

Manchester United now face a crucial Premier League clash against Chelsea this weekend. With Amorim under pressure and results desperately needed, De Ligt’s rallying cry will need to translate into points if United are to climb the table and silence their critics.