Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has urged patience with manager Ruben Amorim, insisting the Portuguese coach deserves time to turn things around much like Mikel Arteta was given at Arsenal.

In a recent interview, Ratcliffe referenced both Arteta and Sir Alex Ferguson when discussing United’s long-term project, suggesting the club would give Amorim up to three years to restore success at Old Trafford.

However, the comparison has divided supporters and pundits. Many believe the situations are not alike, given United’s disastrous 15th-place finish last season and absence from European football this term.

While Ferguson took nearly five years to build a title-winning side in the 1980s, the football landscape was vastly different then, with less commercial pressure and social media scrutiny.

Arteta’s early Arsenal struggles came with an FA Cup triumph in his first season a success that bought him time to rebuild. Amorim, by contrast, saw his own opportunity vanish after United’s Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.

United’s hierarchy has backed Amorim heavily in the transfer market, funding arrivals like Benjamin Šeško, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha to fit his tactical system. But results remain disappointing.

Supporters continue to back the manager inside Old Trafford, though patience is wearing thin after another slow start to the Premier League season and ongoing tactical inconsistency.

Ratcliffe’s stance contrasts with the impatience that has marked United’s post-Ferguson years, which have seen a succession of managers from David Moyes to Erik ten Hag struggle to restore the club’s dominance.

For now, Amorim retains the faith of his new ownership group, who believe stability will eventually yield results. But history suggests that patience at Manchester United has rarely lasted long enough for a full turnaround.

And as Arsenal rise under Arteta’s vision, the comparison may prove a dangerous one highlighting just how far United still have to go to reclaim their former glory.