Ruben Amorim must change his system and team selection to avoid being sacked by Manchester United.
That's according to talkSPORT's chief football correspondent Alex Crook, who launched a scathing rant on the head coach's shortfalls.
United have seen their worst start to a season since 1992/93 under Amorim
6
United have seen their worst start to a season since 1992/93 under AmorimCredit: Getty
Amorim suffered his 20th defeat across all competitions with United on Sunday when they lost 3-0 away to rivals Manchester City.
After the weekend defeat, Crook pressed the former Sporting Lisbon boss on his use of captain Bruno Fernandes in a deeper midfield role.
He dismissed the idea that Fernandes was being wasted there, with his positional change just one of the concerns raised over United.
And speaking on Hawksbee and Jacobs, Crook delivered a passionate assessment of what Amorim must change to keep his job at the club.
READ MORE ON MAN UNITED
Crook's rant on Amorim and United
Crook said: "I pushed Ruben Amorim quite hard after the game at the Etihad on Sunday on his system, on the fact that clearly it's not bringing out the best out of Bruno Fernandes, but he's not for turning.
"He insists the system is not the problem, that it will come good... 31 games he's had in the Premier League, eight wins, not won back-to-back games.
"At the moment it's relegation form, they're one point above the relegation zone, they've got Chelsea at home on Saturday, which looks a very difficult game to make a case for United winning.
"Then they go to Brentford, who've caught me by surprise, I think they look a much better team than I expected with all the upheaval they've had this summer.
"And then Sunderland at home, and I think it's difficult to make a case for United beating Sunderland at the moment.
"They look well-organised, well-coached, two things that Manchester United don't appear to be.
Amorim is already facing the exit after less than a year in the job
6
Amorim is already facing the exit after less than a year in the jobCredit: Getty
"I don't think we're too far away now from the players losing belief in the manager.
"There's been some suggestions out on the back pages in one or two papers today, and I think you can see by the body language, Bruno Fernandes not tracking his man for the first goal.
"I'm not sure they have faith in this system that results are going to turn."
Amorim's system, a typical 3-4-2-1 formation with a back three and two wing-backs, is joined by team selection as one of his faults.
"I think the goalkeeping situation has been a debacle," Crook added. "Because I think we all know that Altay Bayindir isn't good enough to be a Manchester United, or even a Premier League, No. 1.
"I don't know why they decided to hang their hat on him at the start of the season.
Crook insists that Amorim must make major changes if he is to stay at Old Trafford
6
Crook insists that Amorim must make major changes if he is to stay at Old TraffordCredit: talkSPORT
"That obviously affected Andre Onana's confidence, you saw that in the game against Grimsby in the cup, when he chucked two in the back of his own net and ultimately, his United career ended there.
"I think Senne Lammens probably should have gone straight into the team at the weekend.
"Patrick Dorgu is a player they've signed purely, it seems, because he fits this system that Amorim wants to play.
"Well, he's not good enough, he got himself in some brilliant crossing positions, regularly hit the first man, that was when he wasn't finding himself in an offside position.
"And if you asked any United fan, and probably even Amorim himself at the end of last season, 'Who have been the two best players for United?' Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo would have been the answer. Well, both of those are being used wrongly.
"I mean, Amad looks totally lost to me. Is he left wing-back? Is he a right wing-back?
Amorim has won just 38 per cent of his matches at United
6
Amorim has won just 38 per cent of his matches at United
"Is he a winger, which I think is where he really wants to play? Or is he a No.10? We've spoken about Bruno so it's not just the system, it's the personnel changes as well.
"I was speaking to a coach at another club yesterday, and he was saying, 'Look at the stats.' I don't know if you got this statistic, but pretty much every game, he changes one of the centre-backs after 70 minutes.
"Now, if you're playing in a back three, that's the one position you don't really need to tinker with because you're not using as much energy. So what is that substitution all about?"
Kobbie Mainoo has started just 16 times for United since Amorim was appointed in November despite previously being a consistent player.
The United boss has preferred to play Casemiro alongside Fernandes in midfield instead, with Crook left frustrated with Mainoo's absence.
He remarked: "The Kobbie Mainoo situation is infuriating. Because you go back to the 2024 FA Cup final, he scores in that game, he runs the midfield against Manchester City, United defy the odds and they win the FA Cup, it keeps Erik ten Hag in a job.
Mainoo impressed Ten Hag. but the same can't be said with Amorim
6
Mainoo impressed Ten Hag. but the same can't be said with AmorimCredit: Getty
"A few weeks later, he comes in and solves that No.6 issue that England had at the European Championships, he plays in the European Championship final.
"He's been criminally underused by Ruben Amorim, and I speak to people close to Kobbie Mainoo and they say to me, 'He doesn't fancy him, Kobbie believes the manager doesn't have any faith in his ability.'
"And I think that's a real dereliction of duty, a player who has come through the academy. I'm ranting here, but I heard a caller on Drive last night talking about the system.
"If Ryan Giggs was a Manchester United player now, he'd struggle to get in the team, because he doesn't fit the system!"
Crook then assessed what the upcoming weeks may hold for Amorim, with United winning just one of their five matches so far this season.
"There's a lot of evidence, I think, at the moment to suggest this is a manager who has found himself out of his depth," he explained.
Fernandes has seen his performances decline in his new position
6
Fernandes has seen his performances decline in his new positionCredit: Getty
"I think his body language, the fact he won't change the system, the stuff he's said along the way.
"On one hand, you have to praise the openness in press conferences because that's what we all want as journalists, we want straight answers, we want managers who are going to give us headlines, give us soundbites. But I think he's been too honest along the way.
"What I think needs to happen now is that somebody on the hierarchy needs to pull him into the office.
Read More on talkSPORT
"Hopefully it's already happened on Monday morning after the derby, and say, 'Look, we have faith in you, you're our guy ,but ultimately you've won eight out of 31 Premier League games.
"'So you need to find a way to change that, if that means sacrificing your principles and changing the system, you need to do that because otherwise we the board are going to have a big decision to make in the not too distant future.'"
How safe is Amorim at United?
Crook has revealed how United chiefs currently view the head coach
"What is the stance from the boardroom at Old Trafford?
"Well, they're keen to stick with Ruben Amorim. I'm told his job isn't under immediate threat.
"They've looked into stats at the start of the season, they see that Manchester United are right up there in terms of chances created, in terms of the xG, in terms of shots in those four Premier League games.
"They feel like the tide will turn and I think, having set themselves a rather ambitious goal of winning the Premier League title by the end of the 2027/28 season, they realise that another change of manager would potentially set the club backwards.
"But surely Ruben Amorim has to start getting some results on the board. They've got a difficult game next up, Manchester United at home to Chelsea on Saturday.
"Two crunch games after that, for me, either side of the October international break which, historically, is a bit of a graveyard for Manchester United managers, that's when they decided to fire Erik ten Hag, albeit he didn't actually get relieved of his duties until November.
"They've got Brentford away from home, and then Sunderland at home. Surely, they are two must-win games, even at this early stage of the season."