‘Ruben Amorim is THE problem!’ – Man Utd manager blamed by Paul Merson as key difference with ‘top’ managers highlighted

Pressure is beginning to mount on Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim amid a dismal run of form that’s seen the club drop to 15th in the Premier League table and now Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has added salt to his wounds with a brutal swipe at his coaching abilities.

The Red Devils have failed to win in their last three league games and an undeserved point against Everton last time out wasn’t enough to help their league position. As a result, the club are currently embarking on their worst season since 1974 and are comfortably on track for their lowest league finish in the Premier League era.

Sky Sports pundit Merson has pinned the blame on Amorim, stating that the manager’s reluctance to change from his preferred 3-4-3 system isn’t helping the team improve.

“Ruben Amorim is the problem at Manchester United,” Merson told Sky Sports. “The three at the back isn’t working the way he’d planned. So, change it.”

“He’s not helping the players, he’s helping himself by just keeping it the way he’s been used to playing all his managerial career or most of it.

“Top managers are flexible. They go, you know what, I don’t really want to play this way, but I’ve got to play to the players’ strengths, and then when I can get my players in at the end of the season, I’ll go back to playing the way I want to play. But, at the moment, they need to start playing a different way because they won’t beat Real Sociedad [their next Europa League match], playing like this.

“I don’t think they will move Amorim on either. They don’t have the money to start all over again. They’ll have to go with this man. But my worry is, we all know that they can’t play three at the back, we know they’re all over the place

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“They haven’t got the feet and the legs in midfield. So change it. He [Amorim] keeps on sending these players out to fail and, at the moment, that’s what’s happening every other week.”

Merson added: “This Man United team won’t win the Premier League. They need five or six players, so why not just play to their strengths, get through this season, and then go and get the players you need?”

Ruben Amorim retains full Man Utd backing amid dismal form

Amorim has certainly had an underwhelming start to life at Old Trafford but turning Man Utd back into a formidable side was always going to be a difficult task.

The coach retains the full backing of the board despite the club’s poor results of late and a big summer window could be on the horizon, but it won’t be straightforward.

Amorim is keen to strengthen in multiple positions and particularly wants to sign a new striker. Man Utd must be mindful of PSR (Profitability and Sustainability Rules), however, so may need to sell players before sanctioning any major incomings.

Aston Villa have the option to sign Marcus Rashford permanently for £40m in the summer as part their loan agreement, while the Red Devils are actively trying to sell Antony and Casemiro. However, the duo’s high wages of make sales difficult.

Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton are all out of contract in the summer, so their departures will free up some space on the wage bill.

Amorim will no doubt hope that he can sell enough fringe players to have a game-changing summer window, rather than selling academy graduates such as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who were both linked with big-money exits in January.

Hope for the future has, however, grown by the appointment of a key recruitment director behind the scenes in a move very much approved by Amorim.

Man Utd round-up: Quenda update, Branthwaite in demand

Meanwhile, reports suggest Sporting CP winger Geovany Quenda will say yes to reuniting with Amorim in Manchester – even if United don’t qualify for any form of European football next season.

Quenda’s deal at Sporting contains a hefty €100m release clause. But according to trusted reporter Ben Jacobs – who has claimed United have already verbally agreed personal terms with the teenager – a deal can be struck for a much lower sum.

Speaking on talkSPORT last week, Jacobs said: “The player has agreed verbally on personal terms. He’s waiting to see if the clubs pre-agree [a transfer] or wait until the summer.

“The price Manchester United are looking at is €40m. Sporting want a minimum of €60m. There’s a release clause at €100m.

“If Man Utd can get this done for south of €60m it’s not only a good signing for the now and the future, and not only a player that Ruben Amorim knows really well, but also potentially another deal they can get without being forced, as they did for example with Rasmus Hojlund, to pay more than they ideally want to do.”

In other news, TEAMtalk understands that Real Madrid are considering a summer move for Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, who remains of interest to Man Utd.

The Toffees’ won’t make things easy for Madrid, however, as they are demanding a minimum of £70m to even consider parting ways with the England international.

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