Gary Neville believes the pressure is now on Ruben Amorim as Manchester United head coach and another defeat to Chelsea next week would create “big questions”.

United suffered a 3-0 Manchester derby loss to rivals City to sit firmly in the bottom half of the table, with little evidence to show that the club can improve on last season’s 15th-place finish.

Four points from their opening four games means United have made their worst start to a Premier League season in 33 years.

Amorim’s side have also exited the Carabao Cup after a humiliating second-round loss to League Two Grimsby Town, which means United are set for their shortest ever season in terms of games played.

Neville believes a loss to Chelsea next Saturday, live on Sky Sports, could be pivotal for Amorim’s future.

“I think there will be some pressure applied to the manager and his rigidity of sticking with the system,” said Neville about the ramifications of the loss to City.

“There have been times when I have seen United lose this type of match when I feel angry and frustrated.

“I just feel nothing, which is even worse. This has been a nothing of a performance. United have just been beaten.

“With Chelsea next week, another defeat and big questions would start to be asked.”

Neville also believes Amorim will in “in trouble” if United are still stuck in the bottom half going into October.

“Man Utd are 14th, we’re only four games in,” said Neville.

“We can’t be getting into October where Man Utd are 14th or 15th in the league otherwise the manager will be in trouble. They have to start winning quickly.

“Next week if they lose, they would go to 15th and 16th. It’s five games in and before you know it you’re in October and they’re in the bottom half of the table. And that’s where they can’t be, having spent £200m and giving him a pre-season.

“There’s got to be a turnaround pretty quickly, and the manager’s idea has got to land very quickly with the players.

“They struggled against Burnley at home, against Fulham in large parts of the game, at Grimsby, they struggled here today, they’re struggling to find rhythm, to find tempo, to find performance levels.

“I’m worried about the manager, I’m worried about what’s going to happen in this next few weeks. I don’t think it’s a time for panic, but I’ve seen this before, we’ve seen this film.”

Saturday 20th September 5:00pm


Kick off 5:30pm

The stats that damn Amorim’s Man Utd

United have four points from four Premier League games this season – but they have also just picked up 31 points from just 31 Premier League games since Amorim was appointed at Old Trafford.

That is the worst record out of any ever-present Premier League team in that time. Spurs, who finished 17th in the Premier League last season, have leapfrogged them into 16th place this weekend.

West Ham – who have been managed by both Julen Lopetegui and current boss Graham Potter in that time – also have a better record than Amorim’s Man Utd.

Amorim now has the unenviable record of having the worst win percentage of any Man Utd boss since the Second World War.

In fact, among managers to take charge of 20+ games with Manchester United in the top-flight, only Alfred Albut (20 per cent) and Scott Duncan (24 per cent) have a lower win ratio at this level in the league than Amorim’s 26 per cent (8/31).

United also have huge struggles in front of goal, failing to score in 13 of their 31 league games and finding the net just 36 times.

Amorim has only won four of 26 Premier League games against non-promoted teams since taking charge.

United have won just one of their last 20 Premier League away games against the traditional big six teams, conceding 53 goals in those matches.

Amorim: I’ve seen the record and will accept what comes

Amorim has admitted he has seen the numbers and the stats regarding his United form – and he will accept whatever fate comes his way.

“I understand everything. It is normal. The result, I accept that. I don’t see it that way, we are doing better than the results.

“The record says everything. My message to fans: I will do everything. Always thinking about what is best for the club.

“Until I’m here, I’ll do my best. The rest is not my decision. I’m suffering more [than the fans].

“I see the record. I understand the frustration and I understand the decisions that come with that. I take the critics. That’s it.”

However, despite Keane and Neville’s protests about the playing style and Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation, the United boss says he will not change his ways.

“I accept, it is not a record you should have at Manchester United. There are a lot of things you have no idea what has happened.

“But I am not going to change my philosophy. I play my way and I am going to play my way.”

Keane: Man Utd are an average team, you’re worried watching them

Sky Sports’ Roy Keane:

“This United team lack that real quality, they struggle defensively. They look all over the place. United are an average team, an average Premier League team. The stats will tell you that it goes back to last season as well.

“United’s record against any of the top six teams is really, really poor. They can’t seem to compete. They might have a good 45 minutes or a good hour. They did it quite well against Arsenal. But they lost the match to Arsenal and you play for Manchester United to win football matches.

“It’s no good just beating the lesser teams. You’re playing for Manchester United to beat other good teams. And United can’t do that.

“You talk about the system – but the manager has come in and is sticking to his guns. He’s not budging. The results, and we look at points per game, goals for, goals against – it does concern me. It’s not good reading.

“As soon as the game starts, you’re worried. And you get that feeling when they’re playing any decent team.

“We said they’ve scored four goals (in the league this season) and United are better going forward now. Two of them are penalties. So they’re not exactly a free-scoring team where they might score two or three and then let in one or two. It’s the same problems as last year.

“And what we were told: the new manager needs a pre-season, his own players… They’ve spent over £200m. We keep making excuses but when are we going to see the signs?

“People say: give managers time. Of course. But we saw (Arne) Slot go into Liverpool – and Liverpool were a better team than United last season – but he ended up winning the league. Other managers, you see (Thomas) Frank going into Spurs and you see signs of them getting better. How long do you keep waiting when you keep getting a point a game?”