GARY NEVILLE has said the only good thing about Ruben Amorim is his press conferences.
The Sky Sports pundit tore into Manchester United after their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham yesterday.
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Amorim has been unable to turn the club’s form around in his 14 Premier League games so far, picking up just four wins and conceding 23 goals.
After United’s latest defeat, Neville was asked if he had seen any reasons to believe Amorim was the right man to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.
He replied: “The best thing about it so far has been actually his press conferences.
“Even today after the game, the way in which he communicates his vision and his idea that he wants to succeed at Manchester United and he feels he will get it right.
“I don’t think there is anything on the pitch that I have seen so far, in results or performances, that tell me that we are watching a really good team.
“We are not. It is a really poor team this United team.
“He [Amorim] has died in a ditch in respect to when he said very early on, I am not going to change my ideas, so now he can’t.
“That is an issue in some ways as I do think, with those 11 players out on the pitch, that there is a better way to get them into a system that meant that they felt more comfortable.
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“But he can’t change that now because of what he said previously.
“He really sort of stuck his flag in the ground and said that is the way he is going to go down.
“The performances are nowhere near good enough and he will know that.
“He had a very good team at Sporting Lisbon, a fantastic team. He knows what good looks like.
“He knows where he wants to take Manchester United but the problem at this moment in time is that it is just not happening at all.”
Neville also took aim at Amorim’s midfield setup on commentary, saying: “The distance between the two central midfield players, see where Casemiro is and where Fernandes is, that cannot be right.
“It breaks all rules in football. Absolute madness.”
He later continued: “United may win today and may score goals but I have to say that the structure of the team is awful.
“The gaps in that midfield between Fernandes and Casemiro.
“That’s a tactic, they’ve been asked to do that, Bruno’s been asked to come out to this side and it isn’t right.
“Bruno Fernandes is playing right wing, the two of them in midfield are split, it’s embarrassing.
“You wouldn’t see this in Under-9s or Under-10s football.”
Man Utd ratings v Spurs
MANCHESTER UNITED slipped to a 12th defeat in the Premier League with Rasmus Hojlund coming under fire again.
Here’s how SunSport’s Katherine Walsh rated the Manchester United players against an underachieving Spurs side – who are now three places above them in 12th – in North London.
Andre Onana – 3
United can’t do anything with him between the sticks. Can’t be trusted to collect anything.
His opposite number Vicario showed him a thing or two after returning for the first time since Spurs thrashed Man City in November.
At fault for the first goal when he palmed out a relatively weak bouncing shot into Maddison’s path in the 13th minute.
Noussair Mazraoui – 5
An OK performance. Clever link-up play with Zirkzee but couldn’t get hold of Spence down the left-hand side.
Pulled out an excellent cross for the Dutchman’s headed chance late-on.
Matthijs de Ligt – 6
His clearance stopped an obvious 2-0 before the half-an-hour mark.
Harry Maguire – 5
A mixed bag. Long ball over the top for Hojlund’s chance in opening 10 minutes and went on a few attacking runs himself in the first half.
Did well to stop Dejan Kulusevski from having a go at the edge of the box. But bizarrely stopped in his tracks when a cross came flying into Son later on.
Diogo Dalot – 6
A difficult afternoon for the Portugal international as Son and Djed Spence left him for dead a few times.
Hesitated when asked to shoot from five yards to make it 1-0 but helped Onana out with some clearances too.
Patrick Dorgu – 4
A Prem debut to forget. He was almost invisible from the left-hand side. And lacked quality when asked to get involved more in the second half.
Was stupidly caught offside with Bruno Fernandes offloading a stunning cross pitch pass and booked late-on.
Casemiro – 5
Looked every bit a player that hasn’t played Premier League football for two months. Unsurprisingly booked for a late one on Son.
Bizarrely dropped to the turf asking for a free-kick when nobody touched him. Was forced to play 89 minutes with eight teenagers on the bench. A difficult afternoon, indeed.
Bruno Fernandes – 5
Interceptions and breaking up play is not a part of the captain’s game. An uncharacteristically poor cross left United open on the counter.
Did get back to stop Son from having a shot at Onana on the hour mark and started ticking in attack in the final 20 minutes.
Alejandro Garnacho – 4
Looked shaky and cut a frustrated figure after blazing over an absolute SITTER from 10 yards to level the scores.
A bit of a shocker and looked a completely different player to the one who got United into the fifth-round of the FA Cup last week.
Woke up a bit in the second half as Vicario kept him at bay with several superb stops. But the 20-year-old is clearly better off the bench.
Joshua Zirkzee – 6
The best of a desperately poor front three. There’s a street player in there and he’s great with his touches at times.
But curled wide from 23 yards, stuck a header wide in the 70th minute and kicked an air shot in the final five minutes.
Rasmus Hojlund – 3
Is Hojlund the worst No 9 in United’s recent history?
The young Dane, who was unlucky to have a chance saved by Vicario, was second best in every loose ball and kept losing possession.
He was even caught offside after a pass from an Onana goal-kick in the first half – how often do you see that happen?