5 things Ruben Amorim must immediately change at Man Utd ahead of sack meeting

Manchester United have made another dreadful start to a season, piling pressure onto Ruben Amorim, who has three matches before a potential decision is made on his future

Ruben Amorim is facing a crucial run of games as he tries to save his job as Manchester United manager. Amorim is under huge pressure following United’s 3-0 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday which worsened his miserable record with the club.

Defeat confirmed United’s worst start to a season since 1992/93 and meant Amorim’s record stands at eight wins from 31 Premier League matches since he arrived in November. The Portuguese boss knows such form cannot continue, with his side 14th with four points from four games.

Mirror Football understands that Amorim is losing the confidence of some of his senior players and the next three games, against Chelsea, Brentford and Sunderland, will decide his fate before the two-week international break. United chiefs will meet at the start of the October international break to assess where they stand.

United have won just once this season, and even that game needed a late Bruno Fernandes penalty to beat Burnley. Their issues were blatantly obvious in their defeat on penalties by Grimsby in the Carabao Cup and Amorim needs immediate improvement, starting against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday evening. Here are five things Amorim needs to get right in order to keep his job.

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1. Decide on No.1 goalkeeper

The goalkeeping department has been a mess at United for some time. Andre Onana is gone, shipped off on loan to Trabzonspor, but that hasn’t solved the problem. Altay Bayindir has played all four Premier League games this season, but simply doesn’t look up to the level required.

Amorim opted against throwing £18.2million signing Senne Lammens into the firing line for the derby on the weekend, but surely he can’t stick by Bayindir. United opted for Lammens over Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez and Gianluigi Donnarumma, who went to City instead, so they clearly believe in the 23-year-old Belgian. Amorim can’t delay the decision any longer; talk of Lammens getting used to the different balls in England is laughable.

2. Resolve midfield issue

Everyone knows it. There is no longer any originality in pointing out that United’s midfield does not function properly. Amorim has stuck steadfastly to his 3-4-3 formation, which sees Fernandes partner either Casemiro or Manuel Ugarte in a two-man midfield. It doesn’t work.

Fernandes is United’s best and most creative player. He doesn’t want to be back defending deep and he is at his best playing further forward with creative licence. Casemiro, meanwhile, now lacks the mobility to get around the pitch and cover the gaps and Ugarte has also been unconvincing. Amorim doesn’t trust Kobbie Mainoo to play as a defensively-minded midfield, but something needs to change.

3. Show some more flexibility

The midfield issue stems from Amorim’s reluctance to adapt. He plays the same system regardless of the opponent. There was patience initially upon his arrival, with fans knowing it would take time for the players to get used to his ideas, but they are now fed up with it not working.

“You talk about his philosophy, his style of play, the way he wants to play,” United legend Paul Scholes pointed out on The Good the Bad and the Football podcast this week. “There’s so many clever coaches in England and around the world, they work it out quite easily. They know exactly how United are going to play every week.

“When the team sheet comes through an hour before the game you always wonder how your opponents are going to play, five at the back, four at the back? With Amorim, you know, everybody knows. It’s easy to play against and easy to work out as the coaches are that clever. Anyone in the Premier League can beat us.”

4. Get Sesko some service

On the face of it, Benjamin Sesko has endured a miserable start to life at United following a £73.7m move from RB Leipzig. He has made five appearances without scoring – a stark contrast to the likes of Hugo Ekitike at Liverpool and Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal, who he will obviously be compared to this season.

Sesko got 21 goals for Leipzig last season, so has the ability to perform at this level, but he needs service. Bryan Mbeumo has been the best of the new arrivals, but hasn’t linked up well with the Slovenian centre-forward.

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker know a few things about strikers and believe he is being starved of supply. “He must be thinking; ‘Any danger? Any chance of giving me something here’? Something to go after, some crosses,” Shearer said on The Rest Is Football podcast. Speaking about the derby, Lineker added: “He’s making darting runs, but I felt for him a little bit. It’s tough when you’re not getting any service.”

5. Generate some team spirit

Fernandes has constantly been forced to defend himself from pundits who believe he isn’t captain material. He did so once again this week, explaining his passionate personality while saying he won’t change. Amorim isn’t about to strip his best player of the captaincy, but he could do with him pulling his team-mates together.

United don’t look like a team that are all pulling in the same direction and Fernandes throwing his arms in the air, arguing with the referee and generally wearing his heart on his sleeve doesn’t help. What United need is somebody who can inspire their team-mates and get them all singing off the same hymn sheet.

Despite not playing in Europe this season, there isn’t any time for a team-building exercise, so muddy obstacle courses and paintballing are out, but Amorim could perhaps do with a clear-the-air team meeting.

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