Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Manchester United co-owner, recently used Mikel Arteta's initially "miserable" period at Arsenal as a justification for giving Ruben Amorim three years to turn things around at Old Trafford.
However, a stark comparison of both managers' records after their first 50 games in charge reveals that Amorim's start is statistically far worse than the one Ratcliffe is citing for patience.
While both managers were hired in their late thirties and tasked with rebuilding giants, the raw numbers show a huge gap in initial performance, a fact that makes Ratcliffe's three-year promise a much greater gamble.
The stark comparison after 50 matches
The data shows that Arteta built a strong foundation in his first 50 matches, while Amorim has struggled immensely, reflected in a negative goal difference.
| Metric (All Competitions) | Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) | Ruben Amorim (Man Utd) |
| Matches Played | 50 | 50 |
| Wins | 27 | 20 |
| Losses | 13 | 18 |
| Win Percentage | 54% | 38% |
| Goals Scored | 79 | 97 |
| Goals Conceded | 56 | 95 |
| Goal Difference | +23 | +2 |
The statistics show that Arteta led his side to seven more victories than Amorim in the same number of games.
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Most alarmingly, Amorim’s Manchester United side has conceded 70% more goals than Arteta’s Arsenal side at the same stage, underscoring the deep defensive issues plaguing Old Trafford.
The difference is in the trophy cabinet
The most critical difference in the comparison lies not in the Premier League statistics, but in the cup competitions.
Mikel Arteta won the FA Cup in his first season (2019/20), a game-changing trophy that immediately bought him vital time and legitimacy with the Arsenal hierarchy and fanbase.
Ruben Amorim, conversely, has failed to secure a trophy, losing the Europa League final last May and suffering a humiliating early exit from the Carabao Cup this season.
While Ratcliffe argues that Amorim deserves time, just as Arteta did, the trophy factor fundamentally changes the context.
Arteta’s early silverware provided tangible evidence that the process was working, a luxury that Amorim does not have as he approaches his one-year anniversary at Old Trafford.
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