Manchester United are stuck in an endless cycle of rinse-and-repeat since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement set into motion a chain-reaction from which Manchester United are still attempting to recover from.
At present it feels like United are trapped in some kind of ‘medicority loop’, lurching from manager to manager, and now in an attempt to something different; a head coach.
Erik ten Hag’s sacking and replacement with Ruben Amorim is the latest fresh start, and there is plenty for the new boss to try and fix.
Gary Neville advice for Ruben Amorim
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville hit out after the 1-1 draw with Chelsea left Manchester United in 13th place after 10 games.
It is statistically Manchester United’s worst ever Premier League start, with just three victories so far.
Speaking to Sky Sports, club legend Neville said he cannot argue that United’s performances and the league record do not match.
Neville wants Amorim to temper expectations early and set a relatively low bar; just start playing good football.
He explained: “It’s been a woeful 10 games and the performances are awful. You cannot disconnect performance from results and that’s why, when I look at Ruben Amorim, I think about what he needs to do in the job.
“I can’t even think about winning the title, that’s miles away. Just think about getting the best out of the players that are here, the ones that he signs in the future, and get the team to play higher up the pitch so they look more like a compact unit and like the other top teams.
“I’m not just talking about Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal, I’m talking about the likes of Brighton and Tottenham who are able to push up the pitch and look aggressive and on the front foot.
“You know Manchester United’s a front-foot club, you know it’s the club of attack, attack, attack and it’s nothing like that at this moment. It’s really disappointing and the new manager can’t come in quickly enough.”
Ruben Amorim’s first game
Manchester United must wait for Ruben Amorim, who will complete his commitments with Sporting over the coming week.
Amorim’s official start date is on November 11, next Monday, after Manchester United’s next Premier League game at home to Leicester City.
This means Amorim’s first match will be on November 24 when Manchester United visit Ipswich Town.
Assuming Ipswich do not win away to Tottenham next weekend, it would mean they will be winless heading into the match with Amorim’s United.
Results will be important for Amorim; getting off to a good start against Ipswich is crucial, but as Neville says, it is just as vital to play good football.
Play good football and start to dominate teams, and the results will follow.
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