RUBEN AMORIM must have thought he had done it after Manchester United's dramatic derby victory just two weeks ago.
Their late show at the Etihad was a huge morale booster – and over the festive period there were a number of matches on the horizon that looked winnable.
A draw with inconsistent Tottenham in the Carabao Cup was followed by a home game with Bournemouth and a Boxing Day trip to Wolves.
But three consecutive defeats later, Amorim has an unenviable record.
It was 1931 when the last time a United boss made such a poor start to his reign at Old Trafford.
Walter Crickmer lost six of his first ten in charge of the Red Devils – nine decades later Amorim has lost 'only' five of his first ten.
Still, the concern is that the dismal record is about to worsen in the next two weeks.
United host an in-form Newcastle side tonight who have won their last three Prem games, scoring 11 goals without reply.
They then go to runaway leaders Liverpool on Sunday – and can expect no mercy from their bitter rivals at Anfield.
And that's followed by just about the toughest FA Cup third round tie they could wish for – against one of their traditional rivals, Arsenal.
As his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo said this weekend, the 'storm will continue for a while' before 'the sun rises again'.
Amorim will hope that the day when the sky begins to clear will arrive soon.
When he arrived in Manchester seven weeks ago today – on a typically wet day in the North West – he knew a huge challenge lay ahead.
Yet things don't go as he had hoped. Perhaps the former Sporting Lisbon coach deserves some sympathy as he comes up against teams at the worst time.
Bournemouth arrived in Manchester having won three and drawn one of their previous four matches.
Andoni Iraola's men had also had a full week to prepare, looking both fresher and more confident in their 3-0 win at Old Trafford.
Four days later they went to Wolves to face a side revitalized by new coach Vitor Pereira.
The hosts were still at their peak after beating Leicester a few days earlier and took that new-found belief into the match with United.
And now Amorim's troops, who sit a dismal 14th in the table, host the Toon, one of the Prem's in-form teams.
Three weeks ago the Magpies lost 4-2 at Brentford – a fourth league game without a win. But since then they have been excellent.
It's now four straight wins in all competitions and they're scoring goals for fun.
In Alexander Isak they have a striker who has become one of the most popular players in Europe with seven goals in his last six games.
Amorim must find a way to stop the Geordies with skipper Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte both suspended.
Yet sympathy is in short supply, given the ruthless nature of the club he has joined.
New minority owner Jim Ratcliffe has shown in recent months that he is not afraid to make quick changes if he believes they are necessary.
And while Amorim needs time to make his mark on United, they are currently struggling to get the basics right.
Twice in a week they have conceded goals straight from a corner, while Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth have also recently scored from set pieces.
Teams have clearly identified it as a weakness and Eddie Howe will no doubt have done the same ahead of tonight's game.
Former United captain Harry Maguire admits it is costing his team a lot of money at the moment and it is overshadowing the good work of Amorim and his coaches.
The England defender said: “Since the manager's arrival, performances have improved but results haven't really matched that.
“We have improved, but we have to deal with set pieces and concede the first goal of the game, so that is difficult to accept.
“In these games they are 50-50 and on the edge, and you go from a goal to a set-piece. We didn't do well enough.
“Winning creates confidence and at the moment we are not doing that enough, we are not getting the right results.
“You have to win every game and if you don't there is a lot of disappointment. The noise from outside will be loud.
“You have to stay in your bubble, stay focused and look at the next game when it can all change.
“It is a huge privilege and honor to play for this club, but it comes with a great responsibility and when you lose games it is not fun.”
Comments