United’s loss to AC Milan fuels snubs of Amorim’s former players
Under the bright lights of the Manchester training ground, Man Utd watched a 4‑2 loss to AC Milan as the final whistle blew, while three of their own players silently snubbed Ruben Amorim on the touchline. The atmosphere turned tense as the Portuguese coach celebrated his side’s late surge.
Harry Maguire opened the scoring with an early header, and Patrick Dorgu added United’s second strike in the second half. AC Milan answered through Samuel Chukwueze, Alphadjo Cisse, Gonçalo Ramos and Ruben Loftus‑Cheek, completing a 4‑2 turnaround. Luke Shaw was singled out for struggling to cope with Milan’s pace and movement throughout the match.
Amorim’s turbulent United tenure
Ruben Amorim’s spell at Old Trafford ended in January after a difficult period of results left United lagging in the Premier League table. His methods and man‑management style attracted repeated criticism, and fallouts with several first‑team players were cited as factors in the club’s decision to part ways.
After the win, Amorim delivered a cheeky three‑word comment on the pitch. Meanwhile, Michael Carrick, who had overseen an upturn in form as interim boss, secured the full‑time role, finding personal vindication in Milan’s friendly victory despite its non‑competitive nature.
Key players keep distance
Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Diogo Dalot were the only United players who did not embrace Amorim after the match. Rashford’s well‑documented fallout led to loan spells at Aston Villa and Barcelona last season. Mainoo was frozen out of regular game time during the Portuguese’s tenure.
Dalot’s snub was described as bizarre; Amorim had publicly challenged the full‑back’s form, yet Dalot later praised the manager for raising standards. The three players’ distance highlighted lingering tensions from Amorim’s era.
REUTERS/Kacper Pempel By  Joshua Waite Published Aug 15, 2026, 10:40 PM GMT+1. Joshua is a sports writer who made an important career change in early 2024 to follow his true passion. He runs his own football blog PureBall, where he shares his thoughts and stories on the sport he has loved the longest. Josh also gains valuable experience as a volunteer match reporter for the Loughborough Foxes WFC, improving his storytelling and giving him a closer insight to the game. Here, Us can Follow the Log and see how Players react After the match.
The friendly ended with a warm reunion for most of Amorim’s former squad, but the snubs by Rashford, Mainoo and Dalot underscored the personal rifts that persisted beyond the loss, offering a reminder that on‑field results do not always heal off‑field divisions.