Ruben Amorim shocked by 'knee-jerk reaction' to Man Utd criticism as club fear manager will QUIT before he's sacked

Per the i Paper, Amorim has been surprised by the sheer amount of scrutiny that is on both the club and his position after their uninspiring start to the season. The Portuguese is said to be shocked by the fact there is a 'knee-jerk reaction' after every single defeat, and United have, thus far, lost half of their Premier League fixtures, and were also embarrassed by Grimsby in the League Cup. The most recent loss, to Brentford, has left Amorim with the sixth-lowest points tally after 33 games at any club in the history of the Premier League. Nevertheless, the club are said to have faith that the former Sporting CP boss can turn their season around, but insiders now fear he could walk away.

Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe is said to be very keen to ensure that Amorim has a full season to prove himself but there is a concern that Amorim will see United as being a career-defining job, particularly if they keep losing games with the same regularity they are currently. 

United have been heavily linked with potential replacements for Amorim, although the report states that sources at the club are maintaining they have yet to draw up any kind of shortlist. While Erik ten Hag was in charge, the club did actively speak to other potential hires, doing so with Amorim before the Bayer Leverkusen boss moved on, but they are insistent there has been no repeat this time. Reports are linking the club with both Michael Carrick and Gareth Southgate, however, but the latter has not had any contact with Ratcliffe, despite the owner being an admirer of the former England boss.

Carrick could be seen as a potential interim appointment if Amorim does move on, but it speaks to the faith INEOS have in the 40-year-old that they are yet to open direct communications with anybody else. United play Sunderland before the international break and that game has already become a must-win, with the newly-promoted side in fine form with only one defeat from their opening six fixtures.

Amorim said after the defeat to Brentford that he was not concerned about his immediate future. 

He said: "I am never concerned about my job - I am not that kind of guy It is not my decision. I will do the best I can every minute I am here."

He was also not willing to throw his players under the bus after such a poor display, adding: "I think we played the game they wanted us to play, the opponents - really confused: first balls, second balls. If we play the game of the opponent, it’s harder for us. We never settled the game down. We suffered two goals where we knew they are really strong on that, with the long balls. Then we tried to get back in the game. We miss a penalty, and all these moments are a little bit against us. That could change the game, but in the end, we need to – and we should do – better.

"We need to have those moments for us. In the last game we had that, especially in the beginning of the game. Today, my biggest concern is the way we didn’t settle down the game, to control the game, to play our game. We should do that more in the game."

United face Sunderland before the international break but they then face a huge test once they return: A trip to Anfield to face Liverpool. The two sides could not be enjoying more different seasons, and the Reds will be out to hand down another major defeat on their bitter rivals. Last season at Anfield, Liverpool were held to a 2-2 draw by Amorim's men, and a similar result for United would feel like manna from heaven given the state of their current campaign.