Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim is already in must-win territory after humiliating new low

Suddenly the Erik ten Hag era, which yielded two trophies and European football in successive seasons, does not seem such a blot on Manchester United's recent troubled history.

The same cannot be said of his successor, Ruben Amorim, who has dragged the once great club to its lowest point of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson erain the space of just nine months. After last season's 15th-placed finish in the Premier League, United's lowest since relegation in the 1973-74 campaign, Amorin knew he could not afford a poor start to the new term.

But one point from United's opening two league games was followed by Wednesday's abject League Cup exit to League Two Grimsby, which has increased the pressure on Amorim. The Portuguese head coach admitted as much on United's pre-season tour of America this summer, when he conceded he had used up all of the credit he had in the bank when he arrived.

Now, just three games into the new season, Amorim faces a must-win fixture at home to newly-promoted Burley on Saturday with fans starting to turn on him after backing him last season.

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With no European football this season, Amorin said it would give him more time to work with United's players on his much-maligned and controversial 3-4-3 system, to which he is wedded and will not deviate from.

But after an encouraging display in their opening game of the season at home to Arsenal, despite losing 1-0, United reverted to type against Fulham and Grimsby, with disjointed, lacklustre performances that confirmed the players remain unwilling or unable to adapt to Amorim's demands.

Amorim said as much himself in the immediate aftermath of the penalty shoot-out defeat at Blundell Park, claiming “my players spoke really loud today about what they want” and admitting “something has to change – you are not going to change 22 players again”.

That last remark hinted at Amorim considering his own future, just as he did towards the end of last season, when he admitted he would walk away from United without compensation, if the club hierarchy felt it was in the best interests of both parties.

Given how much United have invested in Amorim, backing him to the tune of £207million in this summer's transfer window and sticking with him and his contentious system, despite no evidence of it yielding success, there is a reluctance to fire him and start all over again with a seventh permanent manager since Ferguson retired in 2013.

But if United continue to labour and fail to beat Burnley at Old Trafford tomorrow, the international break will present co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox with some major decisions to make with regard to Amorim.

They got it wrong last summer, by sticking with Ten Hag and allowing him to spend £200m, only to sack him nine games into the season, with United down in 14th place. United are currently in 16th place, with no more margin for error for Amorim if he wants to keep his job.

The 40-year-old may ultimately make the decision himself, as he suggested last season and hinted at in his brutally honest post-match pitchside interview at Grimsby. Amorim's charisma and candour has served to shield him from more criticism than he has received, with seven wins from 29 league matches an unacceptable return for any manager, let alone one at a club with such huge resources and expectation.

United's run to last season's Europa League final – which they lost to Tottenham – masked the glaring deficiencies that still plague the team and have not been addressed in the transfer window.

A new goalkeeper and central midfielder were priorities, as was a striker, but having addressed the latter position with the £70m signing of Benjamin Sesko – who looks way short of the level required – they are stuck with error-prone Andre Onana in goal and a midfield that gets overrun far too easily.

There are still four days left in the transfer window for United to address both positions, to give them a chance of rescuing their season and Amorim a chance of staying in charge, but time is running out for both and the clock is ticking.

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