Former Manchester United star Lee Sharpe says manager Ruben Amorim has ‘caught the brunt’ of a steady decline at the club.
After replacing Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim set about transforming the fortunes of a club traditionally associated with winning silverware.
Having enjoyed a sustained period of success under legendary boss Sir Alex Ferguson, the Red Devils have been on a slippery slope since he retired.
Sharpe, who helped United win seven major trophies during his glittering spell with the club, is still keenly following their fortunes.
While several former players have repeatedly criticised United, Sharpe has tried to remain level-headed about the latest state-of-play under Amorim.
Speaking exclusively to Man Utd News with courtesy of Coin Poker, Sharpe said: “I try not to jump on it because it’s easy to kick a team when they’re down.
“You’ve got a new manager who’s come in at a tricky point in the season, trying to play a different formation with players that don’t fit his system.
“He’s had a lot of injuries to key players, so it will be a difficult season. Over the last ten years, we’ve seen the team in steady decline, and he’s just caught the brunt of it.
“To go through a huge change like he’s trying to do, you have to go through this sort of period.
“I think the fans have come through really strong. They have backed the manager and the team unbelievably this season in what’s been a horrendous season.”
A record of six wins in 26 league games under Amorim undoubtedly hammers home just how disappointing the campaign has been for United.
With the club also coming up short in the League Cup and FA Cup, the Europa League has proved to be an unlikely ray of light for the red half of Manchester.
Despite their struggles domestically, Sharpe believes Amorim and the players deserve credit for reaching the final against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao.
“Even through the worst time ever, they’ve got themselves to a European final and potential Champions League qualification,” Sharpe added.
“So, all is not lost as yet. It’s been a horrible season, but every United fan and ex-player wants this to be the start of a massive climb for them.”
United captain Bruno Fernandes will undoubtedly be crucial to United’s hopes of defeating Tottenham at the San Mames Stadium on Wednesday.
Despite bagging 19 goals and 19 assists in 54 appearances this season, not everyone has appreciated his efforts.
Ex-United star Roy Keane has repeatedly questioned his contribution to the team and his leadership skills.
Sharpe does not dispute Keane’s views, but admits that United would be much worse off if Fernandes were not with the club.
“I think he does do some wonderful magical things on a football pitch, but I think he gives the ball away so cheaply and wastefully at times,” Sharpe said.
“I know he works hard and he wears his heart on his sleeve, but sometimes he can get caught out of position, or he’s not in the right place to fit into the team.
“I think he gives the ball away in dangerous areas very cheaply at times. On the flip side, they may have been even lower down the league without him.
“He has a very creative brain and scored some really good goals. But I think if the team was better, we wouldn’t be raving about him quite as much.”
United head into the final against Tottenham as the favourites to lift the trophy despite losing their three previous meetings with them this season.
Winning UEFA’s second-tier competition would be massive for either club, as it would secure a place in next season’s Champions League.
Sharpe says the players have proved they can handle pressure in the Europa League this season and has backed them to emerge victorious.
He also thinks that returning to the top level of European competition would be the catalyst for the club to enjoy a much brighter future.
“We’ve seen over the last few years when they’ve struggled with consistency, they’ve still pulled out big results in big games,” Sharpe said.
“I think they’ve got enough to beat Spurs. They say winning’s a habit, and once you’ve got that confidence of winning a European competition, it can lift you.
“They will be able to buy a better standard of player if they are in the Champions League, although playing at a higher level will test them even more.
“They want to win, to qualify for the Champions League and strengthen the squad. They want to have a better season next year, so you’d like to think this would kick them on.”