It will be little comfort for Ruben Amorim after taking 34 points from his first 33 Premier League games as Manchester United boss, but at least he can say he saw it coming.

The Portuguese coach has made it no secret that his preference was to take the United job in the summer after being identified as Erik ten Hag's replacement. He didn't want to be parachuted in mid-season, believing that his appointment in November would create more problems than it would solve. Yet co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the board had other ideas and told Amorim it was now or never.

It was a move badged as an attempt to get a head-start on United's route back to the top. Nearly a year on, it's beginning to look like cutting corners, and it will be the manager -- as it always is in these situations -- who

See Full Page