Ruben Amorim is refusing to rip up his playbook despite Manchester United sinking to their worst league start in over 30 years.
The under-fire boss doubled down after a humiliating 3-0 derby defeat at Manchester City left United with four points from four matches. It is their worst opening since 1992 when Sir Alex Ferguson eventually turned it around with Eric Cantona. Amorim has no Cantona up his sleeve and says the system stays.
“I am not going to change. If you want something different you have to change the man,” he snapped inside the Etihad press room.
Fans might not wait long. Opta now claim United are more likely to be relegated than to finish top five. That is despite Jim Ratcliffe sanctioning more than £200m worth of signings in the past two summers. The billionaire was caught on camera looking grim as City ran riot.
Roy Keane did not hold back on Sky Sports. “This team lack quality. The results are shocking. The manager will not budge on his system and it is not working,” he said.
Former striker Dion Dublin added his own dig after Benjamin Sesko flopped on his first league start. “Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias looked like they were on a park playing against him,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. The Slovenian barely touched the ball while the man Amorim binned off, Rasmus Hojlund, marked his Napoli debut with a goal.
The tactical debate rages. Amorim’s 3-4-3 leaves United’s midfield exposed and Bruno Fernandes stranded. Pundits from Theo Walcott to Robbie Savage insist a back four and a 4-3-3 would be safer. Amorim refuses to listen.
“Against Arsenal we played two midfielders against three world class ones. We did well. The fans do not want to hear it but I am being rational,” he argued.
Rational or stubborn, results are brutal. United cannot stop conceding cheap goals and the attack looks toothless. Amorim insists he is suffering more than the fans but the majority had already stormed out before he and his beaten squad applauded the few still left at City.
The clock is ticking.
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