Manchester United great Wayne Rooney says there is 'something broken' at the club following 'damning' Ruben Amorim comments after Grimsby loss
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Updated 28/08/2025 at 23:58 GMT+1
Pressure is mounting on Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim following his side's nightmare second-round exit to League Two Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup. Now, United's all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney has suggested there is "something broken" at his former club. "It looked like he was at breaking point," Rooney said, as Amorim continues to search for his first win this season.
Man Utd 'not prepared' for European football and 'need to develop' - Amorim
Video credit: SNTV
Manchester United great Wayne Rooney says there is "something broken" at his former club and head coach Ruben Amorim looked at "breaking point" following their humiliating defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.
United were dumped out of the competition in the second round on Wednesday, in one of the most embarrassing nights in the club’s history.
Having gone 2-0 down to the League Two side, United fought back with goals from new signing Bryan Mbuemo and former captain Harry Maguire.
However, their fate was sealed from 12 yards when Grimsby ran out 12-11 winners in a penalty shootout.
It heaps even more pressure on Amorim, who is still searching for his first win of the season.
An opening defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League was followed by a 1–1 draw at Fulham.
This comes off the back of leading United to their worst-ever Premier League finish in the 2024/25 season, ending the campaign in 15th place.
Following the defeat at Grimsby, the Portuguese admitted that his players "spoke really loudly about what they want", potentially suggesting that the team are unhappy with his 3-4-3 formation ,  a system which has come under much scrutiny.
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He also talked about stopping to "think things through" after their next game, which is at home to newly-promoted Burnley on Saturday.
"His words were damning on the players," said Rooney on The Wayne Rooney Show.
"If your manager comes out with those words, there’s something broken.
"Manchester United is so different to where he’s been before. You come in and there’s the commercial team, the fans and the media.
"There’s a pressure with United, which he will never have felt before. When you’re not winning games, that can start to get [to you] and it looked like he was at a breaking point."
Amorim has spent less than a year in charge of Manchester United, having been appointed in November 2024.
The 40 year-old former Sporting Lisbon boss succeeded Erik ten Hag, who was sacked after two-and-a-half years in the job.
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'We score and forget the way we should play' - Amorim on Man Utd's draw at Fulham
Video credit: SNTV
Amorim was granted some leeway in the 2024/25 campaign, with many taking the view that it was an inherited squad and would take some time for him to implement his new ideas and tactics.
But patience among United supporters now appears to be wearing thin, with a winless start to the season coming on the back of spending around ÂŁ200m over the summer on a new front three of Mbuemo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.
Speculating about a potential change of head coach, Rooney added: "The problem we’ve got now is who would want to take it.
"It is crazy to say that [but] you’ve got one of the biggest clubs in the world and you’ve probably been just sitting there thinking... not now. How quick it’s changed.
"I want the club to succeed and be successful. I think it will get back, no doubt about that, it’s too big a club not to. But when you’re in it in this moment, it is very difficult to watch.
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Ruben Amorim
Image credit: Getty Images
"When teams used to come to Old Trafford, you wouldn't even talk about tactics. You'd say, just be relentless and you'd outrun them, outpower them. That's why we scored so many late goals, because the opposition were dead on their feet.
"For them not to do that now at every game, especially at Old Trafford, is crazy.
"I think players are getting a little bit lost and it's a carry on from last season. If it carries on like that, then unfortunately I don't see how it moves forward."
Amorim will have his time to "think things through" following this weekend’s clash with Burnley as the Premier League will be on hold for two weeks due to an international break.
United’s first game back will be the Manchester derby away at Pep Guardiola’s City on Sunday September 14.
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