Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has made the stunning claim that the club cannot rule out being in a relegation battle this season.
The Red Devils lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle United last night to end the year with another defeat, and Amorim delivered some slightly shocking home truths after the game.
The Portuguese tactician only recently took over at Man Utd, and has admitted it’s slightly embarrassing to be having to oversee so many poor results.
Still, he also went on to say that this is a club in need of a shock, as he perhaps sent a thinly-veiled warning to the owners and the board about how serious the situation at Old Trafford really is.
Manchester United’s awful form summarised
The defeat to Newcastle means United stay in 14th place in the Premier League table, just seven points above Ipswich Town in the relegation zone.
The team are on just six wins, and have already lost nine times, and they have a -5 goal difference after scoring 21 goals but conceding 26.
Amorim will have been brought in to improve things, but so far it’s not worked out at all, with the former Sporting Lisbon manager on a run of five defeats from the last six league games.
They’ve also conceded 20 goals in 11 games in total under Amorim, while Opta Joe state that the 18 goals they’ve conceded in December is their most in a single month since they let in the same amount 60 years ago…
18 – Manchester United have conceded 18 goals in all competitions in December, their most in a single month since March 1964 (also 18). Leak. pic.twitter.com/gWvIHDHUBu
Ruben Amorim’s warning to Manchester United
Discussing the dire situation facing United at the moment, Amorim accepted that it’s his fault, though one has to wonder if his words are designed to get a bit of a reaction from those above him.
“I think that it (relegation) is a possibility. We have to be clear with our fans,” Amorim told BBC Sport.
“It is also my fault. The team is not improving. It is a little bit lost in this moment and it is a bit embarrassing to be Manchester United coach and lose a lot of games.
“I think people are tired of excuses at this club. This club needs a shock.”
MUFC haven’t been relegated for 50 years, so it’s fair to say that would indeed be a shock, but perhaps it’s something that everyone inside Old Trafford needs to start taking more seriously if they’re ever going to actually make the changes required to improve.
