Man Utd paying price for £4.1m Sir Jim Ratcliffe decision amid Ruben Amorim crisis

Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be forgiven for scratching his head on Wednesday evening. Despite the club's growing crisis, defeat to Grimsby was far from expected at Blundell Park.

The Carabao Cup exit continued Manchester United's winless start to 2025/26 and despite £200million of spending, things are yet to get better. Ruben Amorim's verdict of thepenalty shootout loss was not the most reassuring either.

The Portuguese coach offered an ominous suggestion: "If we don't show up, you can feel that something has to change and you are not going to change 22 players again."

"I think the team and the players spoke really loud today," he added. "That's it. We lost. The best team won."

Amorim's interviews made it impossible not to reflect on previous admissions that a resignation could be up for discussion. The 40-year-old suggested last season he could walk away, even without compensation.

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And Ratcliffe, along with chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox, must be left asking their own questions. They pushed for Amorim's signature and Berrada is the figure to have informed Amorim that he must join Old Trafford immediately rather than in the following summer.

There have been few signs of success thus far. And Ratcliffe and Co are likely reflecting on the decisions that led to this position. To appoint Amorim, the advice of a director they courted more than any other was ignored.

United chased Dan Ashworth from Newcastle and were forced to pay significant compensation before parting ways with him — a spell that cost the Red Devils more than £4m. The former club chief recommended Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Graham Potter last year, who have had contrasting outcomes in their own careers.

But, having so publicly sought Ashworth only to then reject one of his first major suggestions, ignoring the former Newcastle chief could play on the minds of those at the club. Was Amorim worth such a parting of ways and was he worth ignoring the advice from a figure so eagerly chased just months before?

In many respects, United went all-in on Amorim and his system. Players like Alejandro Garnacho are set to depart Old Trafford, while Marcus Rashford has already made a loan to Barcelona with little future remaining at United.

And even Kobbie Mainoo's lack of involvement in recent weekscould see him depart if a suitable bid arrives. A substantial fee could be achieved but facilitating the exits of the club's talented homegrown stars is unlikely to be the identity anyone desired.

And unless things pick up, more decisions will be made on the club's futures. But it won't be squad members in the firing line.

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