Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker were both thinking the same thing about Manchester United under Ruben Amorim in the post-September international break period.
Manchester United will finally return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon, with the Red Devils competing in the first Manchester derby of the 2025-26 season.
The Red Devils are ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League table, with United currently ninth and Pep Guardiola’s men languishing in 13th place this season.
United have had a mixed start to the new campaign under Ruben Amorim, who had to weather early criticism over the Red Devils’ hit-and-miss results in all competitions.
The Red Devils lost 1-0 in their Premier League opener against Arsenal at Old Trafford before United played out a 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage last month.
Amorim ended the month of August on a better note after the Red Devils collected all three Premier League points, with United defeating Burnley 3-2 at Old Trafford.
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim during the Premier League match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage in 2025 in London, England.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Alan Shearer tells Gary Lineker about his current stance on Man Utd after the Premier League result vs Burnley at Old Trafford
Ruben Amorim was under immense pressure ahead of the September break after Manchester United lost to Grimsby Town at Blundell Park in the Carabao Cup.
League Two outfit Grimsby Town came out on top against United in the second-round Carabao Cup tie after a thrilling 12-11 penalty shootout win at home.
Amorim watched the Red Devils bounce back from their Carabao Cup humiliation to Grimsby with a hard-fought – and late – win against Burnley in the Premier League.
Speaking after United’s result against Burnley in late August, Alan Shearer told Gary Lineker the Red Devils’ two biggest tests are straight after the September break.
“Yeah, I don’t think we’ve seen the rest… I don’t think we’ve seen the end to that story with Man United,” he said on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“I wouldn’t go overboard too much because they scraped a win against Burnley at home at the last minute with a penalty.
“So, that gets them through the next couple of weeks with the international break, but I think when you look at their two fixtures [Manchester City and Chelsea] after the international break, that’ll tell us a lot more where Man [United] are.”
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Alan Shearer makes his Man Utd and Premier League prediction and Gary Lineker reacts to what the Newcastle legend said
Following United’s Premier League clash with rivals Manchester City at the Etihad, the Red Devils will cross paths with Chelsea at Old Trafford on 20th September.
Shearer is not convinced that United have done enough to mount a top-six challenge and feels that United could finish anywhere between sixth and 11th in the table.
“Well, I don’t need to know where they are,” he continued.
“They’re not good enough to finish, I don’t think, in the top six. So, it depends where they can finish between sixth and 11th, something like that, I guess.”
Responding to The Rest Is Football co-host, Lineker said: “No, exactly. I wouldn’t disagree.”
United and City’s Manchester derby encounter in the Premier League is slated for a 4:30pm UK kick-off time at the Etihad on Sunday.