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Manchester United are ‘a lot worse’ under Amorim, says Gary Neville

Gary Neville has delivered a damning assessment of Manchester United’s current plight, insisting the team has become “a lot worse” under Ruben Amorim compared to their performances under former manager Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils’ latest setback came on Sunday, as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford—their seventh loss since Amorim took charge in November. This dismal run includes five defeats in their last seven home games, a worrying statistic for a club with 20 Premier League titles to its name.

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Amorim himself has admitted that this could be the worst Manchester United side in the club’s history, as he struggles to implement his tactical philosophy with limited success. Neville, the former United right-back, fears the situation could deteriorate further before it improves.

“I thought it would get better when Ruben Amorim came in,” Neville said on The Gary Neville Podcast. “I thought the enthusiasm and the new system, I thought they’d buy into it, the players, and we’d see a bounce. We’ve seen the absolute opposite. It’s got a lot worse, and that’s surprising.”

He continued: “But there’s going to be a lot more pain towards the end of the season, and it is going to be damaging. They’re obviously going to stick with Ruben Amorim, but the more you lose, the more difficult it is to convince the players of the idea—the idea that he talked about in the early days.

“You need the players to buy into it, but if they lose with it, and they keep getting criticised, the spotlight comes on them more, and the fans are leaving unhappy. You can’t keep losing. It will depress the thoughts of the players, to the point whereby they’ll lose faith with the idea.

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“It’ll damage the start of next season. He has to do something. He can’t change his approach because he’s died in a ditch on it. And rightly so. I think he’s lost more games at Manchester United since he’s come than he lost in the last 75 at Sporting.”

Hojlund and Zirkzee Snub

Amorim raised eyebrows during the Palace match by benching out-of-form strikers Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund, opting instead to deploy midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as a false nine. This decision followed a public fallout with Marcus Rashford, who has since joined Aston Villa on loan after Amorim questioned his commitment to the club.

Neville emphasised the importance of Amorim maintaining a positive relationship with his squad, even if he is dissatisfied with their performances. “He will not be enjoying this, but I think he’s got to simplify it,” Neville said. “He might not like [Rasmus] Hojlund, he might not think [Joshua] Zirkzee is great, or might not like other players. He’s got to pick the players he has and stick with them.

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“It can’t keep going on as it is. They have to somehow start to play better, but where’s it coming from? But I have to say, at this moment in time, it’s a sorry situation, a very sorry situation when United play.”

A Club in Crisis

Manchester United’s struggles under Amorim have left fans and pundits alike questioning the direction of the club. With morale low and results failing to improve, the pressure is mounting on the Portuguese manager to turn things around. However, as Neville pointed out, the constant criticism and poor performances risk alienating the players further, making Amorim’s task even more challenging.

As the season nears its conclusion, United face a critical period in which they must find a way to restore some semblance of stability—or risk carrying this malaise into the next campaign. For now, the mood around Old Trafford remains bleak, with little sign of the storm clouds lifting anytime soon.

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By RedManc

RedMancunian is the number one source for Manchester United news, insight and opinion on the most successful football club in the English top flight. RedMancunian was founded at the end of the 2011/2012 football season. We hope to provide insight on football matters related to Manchester United and provides a sense of what the club was and is all about. Follow RedMancunian on Twitter - @RedMancunian