You don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that Ruben Amorim is having a hard time making it as Manchester United manager.
Although they still have a change in winning the Europa League, their chances of claiming a domestic trophy have disappeared and their form of competition has been miserable.
The attention for Amorim and his coaching staff will now focus on the decision which players he can use in the future and, more specifically, which players he can fit in his 3-4-3 system.
Since he took over from Erik ten Hag and the then Interim Ruud van Nistorelsrooy, every man Utd player has effectively auditioned for their future.
Some players seem to have closed directly in Amorim's 3-4-3 system, while others look remarkably from their depth.
In this article we look at eight players to decide whether they will be kept at the end of the season or continue.
Keep
Is there a more polarizing player in the Premier League than Bruno Fernandes?
Fernandes has emerged as a clear leader for club and country, but some still point to the inconsistent parts of his game as criticism.
He turns the ball more than most top players in midfield, but this is because he often searches for the last ball or the line -breaking pass to move United Vooruit and by the third parties.
The problem with Fernandes in the 3-4-3 Amorim wants to use is that there is no natural position for him.
Initially he was used as one of the two advanced players behind the rush, but he had limited him in this role how effective he could be.
In the past few weeks we have seen Fernandes play again to play as one of the deeper midfielders and its versions have improved.
With Fernandes who plays deeper, you may lose some impact in the position, but Man Utd will become more capable and effective in their construction of the attack.
It is likely that we will continue to see Amorim use Manuel Ugarte as a partner for Fernandes in the deep midfield positions.
The Uruguayaan signed for United in the summer of PSG, but he already had a head start in his preparations that had already played for Amorim in Sporting Lisbon.
Ugarte offers the defensive instincts and the reach that is needed to offer effective coverage for a more ball that plays a deep midfielder such as Fernandes.
He has not necessarily noticed in terms of his technical skills or ball game, but his defensive output means that he will remain in Amorim's plans in the future.
Joshua Zirkzee is another who, like Fernandes, has benefited from a roll change in the United Team.
He was a big money signed in the Serie A in the Serie A in the summer, but he was signed as a striker.
This was a classic case in which the buying club did not understand the profile of a player.
Zirkzee scored goals in the Serie A last season, but he is very much a second striker or number 10 type.
In the past few weeks we have seen Zirkzee in a deeper position, as one of the two advanced midfielders behind the rush.
Here he receives the ball and can use his strength to keep defenders while he combines and helps build the attack.
Play deeper gives Zirkzee more freedom and he makes intelligent runs to break the last line or to find space in which he can receive the ball.
With these movements, United can be more effective when it comes to bringing the ball forward.
The question will be whether Amorim will continue to give the Dutch the minutes he needs to fully settle in this position.
The last player we see as a keep for next season is Rasmus Hojlund.
The Dane is another who was a big money addition when he was signed from Atalanta.
He has everything you would like from a modern striker in his size, athletics and the power he can generate on his shots, but he is still not completely convinced.
For that reason we think Hojlund will be held, but perhaps not as the first-choice striker.
One of the biggest problems for Amorim is that Hojlund just doesn't get enough shots and in the 3-4-3 system that is perhaps the biggest requirement for the main attack.
Hojlund shows the tendency to get short when he has to stay high, and he doesn't make enough runs to attack the line.
He is still only 22 years old and he has shown the characteristics needed to be a striker at the highest level.
It will be interesting to see if Amorim instructs the recruitment department to find a striker with a similar profile with which Hojlund can have more peace and get into games when opposition divisions are tired.
Time to continue
There is no doubt that there are some players who have to move from United next season.
The versions this season did not come close to meet the expectations of the board or fans.
Although it is fair to say that Zirkzee shows promise as one of the two advanced midfielders in the 3-4-3 system, the same does not necessarily apply to Alejandro Garnacho.
He is one of the most division players among United fans. Some like his ability to create target groups, while others are frustrated about his decision -making.
It is this decision-making as one of the attacking players in the 3-4-3 who will probably see his position in the team that will be threatened in the future.
Too often, Garnacho takes possession and ignores potential passing options to try to attack the defender 1V1, often with Patrick Dorgu who bombs the outside.
Although he has the opportunity to do this his last action effectively, some aspects of his play, especially shoot, can abandon him.
The potential sale of Garnacho is also something attractive for ownership at United, because he graduated from Academy and every sale would represent pure profit for the club.
One of the most striking of the players who, in our opinion, will probably be moved is the goalkeeper Andre Onana United.
When Onana was signed at Inter, it was on the back of some excellent shot-saving versions in the Champions League.
Unfortunately for United, the versions of Onana are at best inconsistent.
He has made a number of high -profile errors and although he also made a number of top saves at that time, United needs a goalkeeper who can be trusted.
Onana has made too many controversial mistakes and we believe that he will be moved by Amorim in the coming summer.
The same can be said that in recent weeks Harry Maguire has given a more consistent playing time to use a claim in the longer term at Old Trafford.
Maguire, however, is very similar to Onana in the sense that he makes too many mistakes to play in the back line of a team that wants to challenge to the top of the table.
He is not that impressive on the ball than people who used to think and his decision -making defensively can put him into trouble.
Matthijs de Ligt will probably get the call to play as the central defender in the back three in the future.
Maguire is a central defender who has the frame to be dominant, but not the mentality. A movement for him is almost certainly on the cards.
The last player we believe that Amorim wants to continue this summer is perhaps the most surprising – Lisandro Martinez.
Martinez is one of the few players in the past seasons that you could claim to have been a 'good' signing.
However, there are still problems surrounding his profile under Amorim.
First of all, his availability due to injury has been poorly spent on the sidelines.
Secondly, his profile does not fit tactically.
Amorim needs broad central defenders who can go to midfield and play more aggressive steps to help his team move the ball through the third parties.
Too often Martinez is passively in possession and with Amorim who wants to use three players on the back line, his central defenders must be aggressive in possession of the ball
Conclusion
All this comes within the context of cost -saving at the club while the owners try to get finance under control.
United needs a rebuilding, but their recruitment in the past seasons has largely been bad.
The period between now and the end of the season will be the key for players to convince management that they will earn a space in the team next season.
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