In the 19th round of the Premier League, Manchester United suffered a two-goal defeat at home to Newcastle, marking their third consecutive loss in the league and their fifth defeat in the last six matches. Despite still ranking 14th, they are increasingly distant from the Champions League spots while inching closer to the relegation zone.
Relegation? A topic that seemingly should not exist has suddenly become a reality for Manchester United.
Captain Fernandes was suspended due to a red card, and Ugaite was also absent due to accumulated yellow cards, leaving a "vacuum" in Manchester United's midfield. Casemiro and Eriksen, both 32-year-old "veterans," were forced to start together. With two nearly identical header goals, Newcastle managed to crush Manchester United in less than 20 minutes, leaving Amorim with no choice but to substitute Zirkzee at the 33rd minute. The Dutch forward shed tears as he left the field.
The tears flowed not only on the players but also filled the hearts of the fans. In eight Premier League games under Amorim, the team only managed two wins, one draw, and five losses, a record as poor as their city rivals, Manchester City, making the two Manchester teams the worst "twin bears" in the Premier League.
Statistics show that throughout 2024, Manchester United accumulated only 51 league points, setting a new record for the worst performance in their Premier League history. If it weren't for Van Nistelrooy's temporary coaching stint that earned them four points, and if they hadn't made a comeback against Manchester City, they would have already fallen into the relegation zone.
After the loss to Newcastle, a journalist asked if Manchester United needed to consider the possibility of relegation. After careful consideration, Amorim gave an affirmative response, stating that given the current situation, such a possibility does exist. He emphasized the need to be transparent with all fans, acknowledging that this season is extremely challenging for everyone, especially the players, who must fight for their lives (original text reads "fight for our lives").
At this moment, Amorim spoke his mind, and it is believed that the fans, upon hearing this, would be even more heartbroken than Van Gaal. In the past, Van Gaal had expressed that Manchester United was no longer the invincible team they once were, and everyone needed to get used to the Europa League. Now, Manchester United has shifted from merely participating in the Europa League to fighting for survival!
Last season, Manchester United defeated Manchester City to win the FA Cup title, with two championships in two years being Ten Hag's legacy. However, the current Manchester United has plummeted from champions to relegation contenders, reflecting the ruthlessness and cruelty of the football world.
Not only Van Gaal but also Mourinho, after achieving a treble and finishing second in the Premier League, stated that helping Manchester United secure second place was one of the greatest achievements of his coaching career. This statement holds true; the current Manchester United can hardly maintain a stable position at 12th, let alone second.
From Moyes to Van Gaal, from Mourinho to Solskjaer, from Ten Hag to Amorim, Manchester United has tried various approaches, inviting renowned coaches, club legends with DNA spirit, and promising newcomers, even a director-type coach like Rangnick, yet none could change the course.
A few days ago, Cristiano Ronaldo, who received two awards at the Globe Soccer Awards ceremony, commented on several top clubs, believing that Manchester City has a smart head coach who knows where the problems lie and is 100% confident in their recovery. Real Madrid faced difficulties at the beginning of the season, but with players like Vinicius, Mbappe, and Rodrygo gradually adapting to the new system, Real Madrid will surely make a comeback and even compete for the Champions League title.
However, regarding his former club Manchester United, Ronaldo is not as optimistic, emphasizing that the problem does not lie with the head coach but is akin to a sick fish in an aquarium. If you can take it out, everything is resolved. But if you put it back in, it will continue to get sick, which is the problem with Manchester United.
Ronaldo's metaphor is vivid, using the story of an aquarium and a fish to illustrate Manchester United's plight. Over the years, many coaches and players have come and gone, but have the problems been solved? No! Only by taking out the sick fish can the real solution be found. Just like Rashford, Amorim's insistence on not using him marks the first step, but there are far more than just one sick fish.
As the head coach said, Manchester United starts from fighting relegation, breaking old molds to establish new ones, and rebuilding work never takes shortcuts.