Ruben Amorim has admitted that even he is not safe from dismissal despite starting as Manchester United head coach just over a month ago.
The Portuguese has lost four of his first seven games for United. A 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day was their third successive defeat in all competitions, leaving the club fourteenth in the Premier League and out of the Carabao Cup.
Amorim took over as Erik ten Hag's full-time replacement at the club on 11 November, with United paying €11 million (£9.15 million) to secure his services from Sporting Lisbon.
But after a month in charge, Man Utd are closer to the relegation zone on points than the Champions League places heading into their final game of a chaotic 2024 at home to in-form Newcastle on December 30, live on Sky Sports. The Amorim team will have to make do without captain Bruno Fernandes for that match after his red card on Boxing Day.
“The manager of Manchester United can – never, no matter what – feel uncomfortable,” Amorim said. 'And I know the business I'm in. If we don't win, regardless of whether they paid the buyout [clause for me] Or not, every manager is in danger.
“And I like that, because that's our job. So I understand the question. You can say I'm here for a month and have four practices.” [sessions] but we don't win. So that's the reality and I feel pretty comfortable with that.”
However, Amorim stressed that his long-term project to change United will take time, but could not determine how long that would take.
“The idea takes time,” he said. “I've said it to you before: this will be a difficult moment and we are far from the end of this moment and that's all. We have to keep going and focus on the next game.”
Asked how long he thinks it will take to make his mark, Amorim said: “I have no idea. No idea. Instead of trying to understand how much time it will take, just day by day.
“Improve, try to see the videos, use every minute of training and try to win some points because that is very important at the moment.”
Amorim on set pieces: we have to copy other teams
United's current situation cannot be summed up better than their defensive record. United let Matheus Cunha's corner fly all the way over Andre Onana's head – the second time in seven days they have conceded straight from a corner.
No team has conceded more goals from corners this season than United, who are level with Boxing Day opponents Wolves on nine.
“After a defeat I don't dare talk about that,” Amorim said of United's set piece record. But you see nowadays that every corner is an opportunity, so sometimes you forget about the little guys and the talented guys and you put eleven players on corners and free kicks and you can do everything inside the penalty area.
“Those are the rules and we can't cry about that: but do the same. So we have to do the same with the opponent, that is my goal at the moment.”
“What I'm saying is that if set pieces become so important that you can do anything, we have to learn it and do the same, even with the little guys. We have to copy it and do the same thing. rules, but to also use the rules to score from set pieces.”
The damning stats behind Amorim's start as Man Utd boss
Man Utd is looking at the long term, but the issues need to be addressed now
Analysis from Sky Sports' Adam Bate at Molineux:
The red card to Bruno Fernandes obviously provided mitigating circumstances and there was enough tension within Molineux to believe that Manchester United could conjure up an equalizer until very late in the match. But the 2-0 defeat to Wolves was still alarming.
Another stuttering display, another goal scored straight from a corner, let alone from a set piece. Much of the focus at United now is on the long term, but that is something Amorim must address quickly to prevent this season from going from bad to worse.
When asked how long it would take for his playing principles to take hold, Amorim said he had no idea. In a match that started with both Portuguese coaches adopting a 3-4-2-1 formation, it was the Wolves players who seemed more comfortable with that system.
Even when the match was 11 versus 11, United lacked zip, moving the ball far too slowly to take advantage of opponents who started the match in the bottom three. Amorim will be more convinced than ever that big changes are needed for next season.
But next season still seems far away if United continues to play like this. Newcastle's next matches are against Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively. This could get messier before it gets better.
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