CNN
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim branded his side the “worst team” in the club’s history after another crushing Premier League defeat on Sunday.
United were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by Brighton at Old Trafford, marking their 10th defeat of a disastrous season which now leaves the former great club languishing 13th in the league.
Amorim, who replaced former manager Erik ten Hag in November, gave an honest judgment on his team’s situation during Sunday’s post-match press conference.
“Imagine what it’s (like) for a Manchester United fan. Imagine what this means to me,” Amorim told reporters.
“We have a new coach who loses more than the last coach. I am perfectly aware of it. I’m not going to change, no matter what. I know we can succeed, but we have to survive this moment. Because I’m not naive and I know we have to survive now.
“We are perhaps the worst team in the history of Manchester United. I know you want to make headlines, but I say this because we need to recognize this and change this. There you have it, your headlines.
This may sound like hyperbole, but Amorim is not far from his scathing assessment.
Since he took charge of the club, the Red Devils have managed just 11 league points from a possible 33, leaving them on course for their worst Premier League result – their current worst is eighth place from last season.
Perhaps most notably, United currently sit closer to the relegation zone than the top of the league – Manchester United were last relegated from the First Division in 1974.
When he took the job last year, Amorim would have been keenly aware that the club was in trouble – it has continued to underperform for over a decade now, since the legendary Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 .
The Portuguese coach, who had already impressed during his time in charge of Sporting Clube de Portugal, immediately got to work and implemented a new system that was supposed to usher in a new era of success.
But while there were some promising signs, consistency remained a serious issue that saw the team sink to new depths in the league.
What’s perhaps more frustrating for fans is that United’s players seem able to turn it on for certain games.
Before Christmas, the team beat local rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the league and recently earned a 2-2 draw against league leaders Liverpool. Last week, Manchester United also beat Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup.
But between these positive performances, United were comfortably beaten by teams like Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle.
Amorim has openly admitted that players have yet to fully grasp his new system, but insists he won’t change his ways, even if it leads to more defeats in the short term.
“I’m not going to change the way I see the game, I’m clear on that. The players will suffer, the supporters will suffer, I’m sorry,” he added.
There is, however, a glimmer of hope for United fans amid this terrible run of results.
The last time United lost 10 of their opening 22 games in the league season was in the 1989-90 season, according to Reuters. The manager at the time was a young Ferguson, the same manager who won 13 league titles for the club.
Amorim and his players have the chance to get their season back on track when they face Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday. Manchester United next face Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.
