Alan Shearer has warned that Ruben Amorim's position could quickly come under threat if Manchester United fail to beatBurnley this weekend. United's shaky start to the season has already set alarm bells ringing, with a narrow 1-0 loss to Arsenal being followed by a frustrating 1-1 draw with Fulham, leaving them 16th in the table.
After the disastrous 2024/25 season, Amorim can ill-afford another stumble, making Saturday's 3pm showdown critical in Shearer's eyes. "They [United] are one of the teams that have to start winning pretty soon, otherwise the pressure will mount, hugely. There's no doubt it," the former England captain said on The Rest is Football podcast. "They've got Burnley next. That's one of those games where you probably want it, but if you don't win it then it really does mount the pressure. So they've got to win that one at home, there's no doubt about it."
Before Burnley, United travel to Grimsby Town on Wednesday night for an EFL Cup clash. Normally it would be a chance to rotate and give minutes to fringe players, but anything other than a strong result against the League Two side would heap even more pressure on Amorim.
That fixture may also be vital for their new front line to finally click. A combined £200million was invested in Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, yet none have delivered in terms of goals or assists so far.
Cunha has come closest, hitting the woodwork against Fulham and forcing Arsenal's Raya into a superb save on the opening day. Mbeumo nearly produced a stunner with an acrobatic effort that flashed wide in that game too.
But the biggest priority, arguably, is Sesko, who joined from RB Leipzig for £74m. The Slovenian is under pressure to prove he can succeed where Rasmus Hojlund failed. The Danish forward, bought in 2023 for a similar fee, never truly settled and soon lost his confidence – along with his scoring boots.
Since the Premier League began, United have gone winless in their first three matches only three times. Twice, however, they still ended up champions.
The last time came in 2014/15, when Louis van Gaal's reign started with a loss to Swansea and draws against Sunderland and Burnley. Amorim, now trying to stamp his authority in his first full season, will want to avoid repeating history.
He can take some comfort from the fact that United haven't lost to Burnley in their last seven games, winning five. In fact, they have been beaten by the Clarets just twice since the 1960s. But such records will mean little if the present form does not improve.
With the first international break looming, the stakes could not be clearer. A win against Burnley would lift the mood, but failure risks deepening unrest – possibly leaving Amorim on the brink.