Old Trafford's Revolving Door

Another week, another Manchester United manager shown the exit. The post-Ferguson era has now claimed its seventh permanent head coach after Ruben Amorim's 14-month tenure ended in extraordinary fashion on Monday. His parting shot — demanding to be "manager, not the coach" — apparently sealed his fate. Darren Fletcher takes charge of a depleted squad at Burnley tonight in what promises to be a midweek round defined by pressure, chaos, and the looming shadow of Arsenal-Liverpool on Thursday.

📊 MIDWEEK STAT

1.23 points per game

Ruben Amorim's average in the Premier League — the worst of any Manchester United manager in the Premier League era. Even Ralf Rangnick, in half a season as interim, managed 1.54. United won just 15 of 47 league matches under the Portuguese, a 32% win rate that tells its own story, as reported by Sky Sports.

The end came swiftly. Less than 24 hours after Ruben Amorim's incendiary post-match press conference following the 1-1 draw with Leeds, Manchester United informed their head coach his services were no longer required. The 40-year-old's public demand to be treated as "manager, not coach" — and his pointed instruction for colleagues to "do their jobs" — was the final straw for a hierarchy that had already lost confidence. Sources describe an "explosive" meeting with director of football Jason Wilcox on Friday, where Amorim's "emotional and inconsistent behaviour" became a key factor. The Portuguese refused to adapt from his preferred 3-4-3, reverting to a back three against Wolves despite success with a back four against Newcastle on Boxing Day. Amorim leaves with a record of 24 wins from 63 games, the lowest win percentage of any permanent United boss since the early 1970s. Darren Fletcher, the U18s coach with no senior managerial experience, takes temporary charge, as reported by ESPN.

Morgan Gibbs-White's 89th-minute penalty — awarded by VAR after Alphonse Areola caught the midfielder's face attempting a punch clearance — completed Nottingham Forest's dramatic 2-1 comeback at the London Stadium. West Ham appeared poised to end their Premier League misery when Murillo's own goal gave them an early lead, and when Crysencio Summerville struck in the second half. But VAR intervened twice: first to disallow Summerville's goal for offside against new signing Valentín Castellanos, then to award Forest the decisive penalty. Nicolas Dominguez had equalised in between, capitalising on a massive swing in momentum. The defeat leaves Nuno Espírito Santo's West Ham seven points from safety, winless in 10 league matches, and facing a reunion with a third former club — having already lost to Wolves and now Forest in successive games. Sean Dyche's Forest, meanwhile, climb to 17th with 21 points, as reported by Sky Sports.

Thursday's Emirates showdown pits league leaders Arsenal against fourth-placed Liverpool in what could prove a defining moment in the title race. Mikel Arteta's side have won seven consecutive matches and sit six points clear at the summit with 48 points from 20 games — the Gunners' best position at this stage since their Invincibles season. Liverpool, by contrast, arrive having drawn their last two, including a 2-2 stalemate at Fulham. The Reds remain without Mohamed Salah at AFCON and will be without several key players through injury. Arsenal have won nine of their last 10 home league games, conceding just 14 goals all season — the Premier League's best defensive record. Liverpool haven't won at the Emirates in the league since 2020, though they did claim a 1-0 victory in their last meeting back in August, as reported by The Athletic.

Three goals in a scintillating first half finally gave Wolves their first Premier League victory of the season, and their first under Rob Edwards. The 3-0 demolition of West Ham on Saturday — with goals from Jhon Arias, Hwang Hee-chan (penalty), and teenage sensation Mateus Mane — doubled their points tally from three to six. Mane, at 18 years and 109 days, became Wolves' youngest Premier League goalscorer, his driving run and powerful finish capping an outstanding individual display. The result still leaves Edwards' side 12 points from safety with 18 games remaining, but it provided the first clean sheet since April 2025 and evidence that the players haven't downed tools. Wednesday's trip to Everton offers another winnable fixture — though after 19 games without victory, Wolves fans know better than to count any chickens, as reported by Premier League.

Manchester City's injury nightmare has forced Pep Guardiola into the transfer market far earlier than planned. Josko Gvardiol's tibial fracture — requiring surgery and ruling him out for up to five months — came during Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, where Ruben Dias also departed with a hamstring issue. With John Stones already sidelined, City have recalled 20-year-old academy product Max Alleyne from his Watford loan, but that is unlikely to satisfy a club chasing four trophies. Fabrizio Romano reports that City have opened talks with Crystal Palace over Marc Guehi, who Palace value at £35m+ despite his contract expiring in June. Guardiola had publicly dismissed January reinforcements, but circumstances have changed dramatically. Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich are also monitoring Guehi's situation, potentially creating a bidding war that could benefit Palace handsomely, as reported by BBC Sport.

The Africa Cup of Nations reaches the quarter-final stage this week, with eight teams remaining in Morocco's tournament. The last-16 round produced several compelling narratives: Mohamed Salah scored with the last kick of extra-time to seal Egypt's 3-1 victory over Benin, Victor Osimhen bagged a brace in Nigeria's 4-0 demolition of Mozambique, and hosts Morocco edged Tanzania 1-0 to keep their first AFCON title since 1976 alive.

Algeria and DR Congo complete the round of 16 on Tuesday, with Ivory Coast facing Burkina Faso in the evening. For Premier League clubs, the tournament's progression means continued absences: Liverpool remain without Salah, Manchester City are missing Mazraoui, and several relegation battlers face selection headaches. The final is scheduled for January 18 in Rabat — meaning players could miss up to six league matches if their nations reach the showpiece, as reported by CAF Online.

Manchester United's decision to sack Ruben Amorim after just 14 months carries a reported £15-20m severance package. Owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe had publicly backed Amorim as recently as October — yet internal confidence collapsed rapidly over the Christmas period. The club's statement emphasised giving the team "the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish," but whether Darren Fletcher — with zero senior management experience — represents the best route to achieve that remains to be seen, as reported by The Irish Times.

Inter Extend Serie A Lead: Inter swept aside Bologna 3-1 at San Siro on Sunday to consolidate first place in Serie A with 39 points from 17 games. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez were both on target as Simone Inzaghi's side opened a two-point gap over AC Milan. Napoli remain third, two points further back, setting up an intriguing three-horse title race, as reported by Football Italia.

Real Madrid Thrash Betis as Garcia Stars: Gonzalo Garcia announced himself with a hat-trick as Real Madrid hammered Real Betis 5-1 at the Bernabeu to start 2026 in style. The 21-year-old academy product stepped up in Kylian Mbappé's absence, with the Frenchman sidelined for at least three weeks with a knee injury. Madrid remain four points behind Barcelona, as reported by Outlook India.

PSG Win First Paris Derby Since 1978: Ousmane Dembélé scored a deflected winner as Paris Saint-Germain edged past newly-promoted Paris FC 2-1 in a historic Parisian derby at the Parc des Princes. It was the first league meeting between the clubs since 1978. PSG remain second in Ligue 1, one point behind leaders Lens, as reported by ESPN.

Bayern Prep for Bundesliga Return: Bayern Munich cruised to a 5-0 friendly win over Red Bull Salzburg, with academy talents Lennart Karl (2) and Tom Bischof impressing alongside Luis Díaz. Bayern return to Bundesliga action against Wolfsburg on Saturday holding a nine-point lead at the summit, as reported by Bundesliga.

Friday's edition will look ahead to FA Cup third round weekend, with United's trip to Brighton under interim management, Arsenal's clash with Leeds, and whether any of the big six will face banana skins against lower-league opposition. Plus: the full quarter-final preview for AFCON as Africa's elite battle for semi-final spots.

Midweek madness awaits. Ten Premier League fixtures across three days, a title race clash for the ages, and the small matter of a Manchester United in full-blown crisis visiting Burnley with an U18s coach at the helm. The only certainty is uncertainty.

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