Ruben Amorim lamented the many open wounds at Manchester United, soon after Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ambitious plan was confined to the scrapheap. United look set to abandon Ratcliffe's 'Project 150', which aimed to secure a Premier League title by the time United mark their 150th anniversary in 2028.
While the 1-1 draw against Arsenal suggests United are still able to compete against the likes of the Gunners on the pitch, insiders at Old Trafford have still lost faith in Ratcliffe's goal amidst the team's ongoing struggles since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. United moved up to 14th in the table courtesy of their draw with the North Londoners, but they are still closer to the relegation zone than Premier League leaders and fierce rivals Liverpool. Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag in November, currently has United in the same position he inherited the Red Devils. Before Sunday's clash, the ex-Sporting CP manager admited it will require major surgery to turn United into title contenders.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Amorim said: "To tell you the truth, I feel sometimes there are scars in our team, in our players. They are good players, but they are so deep, they are so long here that it is hard to change things in one moment.
"Some players had one coach and then comes a new coach, new hope, new momentum and then we go to the same place. Imagine this for any person, in any job. Imagine this as a player, with all the media and social media. So it's really hard to turn things around just like that."
In the 11-and-a-half years since Ferguson led them to their last league title in 2013 during his retirement year, United have recorded two second-placed finishes, albeit while finishing 19 points and 12 points behind Manchester City. Since then, the Red Devils have claimed only five major trophies, falling behind rivals like Liverpool, City and Arsenal.
As United's debt rises to £515.7 million and revenue and profits decline, home fans wore black to symbolise the club's freefall. Despite initial optimism following Amorim's arrival, he has struggled to revitalise the team, with 10 wins and 9 losses in his 26 games in charge.
Nevertheless, Amorim remains resolute in his ambition. He added: "The goal is to win the Premier League. I know we are losing games but the goal is to win the Premier League again. I don't know how long it will take. We have a goal and we continue forward no matter what."
Commenting on the fan protests, ex-United captain now Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said: "It's down to a number of things. It's down to debt repayment, it's down to mismanagement, if you're getting rid of 450 people it means someone has been mismanaging the club for 10 years.
"You think of the impact of the performance on the club's revenue, no Champions League football, losing £30-40m a year because of that. Woeful recruitment that means you have to recycle players constantly and not create assets within the club. All of that is coming home to roost here today. You can't kid football fans or con football fans."