The discontent surrounding Manchester United reached a boiling point on Monday night as they suffered a demoralizing 2-0 home loss to Newcastle United. The Red Devils now sit a lowly 14th in the Premier League table, just seven points clear of the relegation zone, marking their worst league position at this stage since 1978-79.
Amorim Under Fire But Players Must Share Blame
The finger of blame is being pointed squarely at beleaguered manager Ruben Amorim, who only replaced Erik ten Hag in November. Amorim has now overseen a dismal run of five defeats in his first eight league games, a feat not “achieved” by any United boss in over a century.
However, while the Portuguese tactician is undoubtedly struggling to arrest the slide, the players cannot escape culpability for a series of abject performances. Against Newcastle, Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee was unceremoniously hauled off after 30 minutes to a mixture of ironic cheers and jeers from the increasingly irate Old Trafford faithful.
Embarrassing First-Half Capitulation
In truth, any one of United’s starting XI could have been withdrawn such was the paucity of their first-half display. The Magpies were two goals to the good inside 20 minutes courtesy of Alexander Isak and Joelinton, both of whom exposed glaring defensive frailties.
It is really hard on everybody and you can feel it … It is a bit embarrassing to be Manchester United coach and lose a lot of games. I think our club needs a shock and we have to understand that.
– Ruben Amorim, Manchester United Manager
Anger Mounts But Solutions Scarce
The half-time whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from all sides of the stadium. Many of those who remained until full-time made their feelings abundantly clear, adding to the pressure on Amorim, who now faces the ignominy of being asked about the unthinkable prospect of relegation.
- 4 straight defeats in all competitions
- 6 losses in their last 8 Premier League games
- 3 consecutive home league defeats for first time since 1978
The numbers make for grim reading but Amorim steadfastly refused to throw his players under the bus, insisting “I am responsible”. He maintains his 3-4-3 system is not the problem, rather a chronic lack of belief and application from those tasked with implementing it.
Anfield Awaits as United Stare Into the Abyss
With a trip to arch-rivals and runaway league leaders Liverpool looming large on New Year’s Day, the immediate prospects look bleak for United. Defeat at Anfield would see them plunge deeper into the mire and the unrest intensify to unprecedented levels.
Amorim’s plea that this wretched run “will not last forever” will fall on increasingly deaf ears unless he and his charges can conjure up a miraculous revival. The onus is on the players to repay their manager’s faith, stand up and be counted. If not, Manchester United, for so long the standard bearers of English football, may be sleepwalking towards the unthinkable.
