Don't be fooled by Jim Ratcliffe's words of faith in Ruben Amorim ... the next month is crucial | OneFootball

The Manchester United owner says he’ll judge the manager over three years, but if results don’t improve he’ll be lucky to get three weeks

It is hard to make sense of much that has happened at Manchester United, so how fitting that Sir Jim Ratcliffe took the classic vote of confidence to new extremes. The United co-owner was appearing on The Times’ business podcast and conversation turned to Ruben Amorim and how secure his job is.

There will be many words used should Amorim lose his job in the coming weeks or months but knee-jerk will not be one of them. Amorim has taken charge of 34 Premier League matches and lost half of them. The 37 points picked up in that period is little more than relegation form.

Jim Ratcliffe in the stands during United’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City

AFP via Getty Images

Astonishingly, United have not won consecutive league matches under Amorim and, unless they beat Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, that run will extend into November.

The Arteta comparison

The obvious conclusion is that Amorim will be sacked before long if results do not improve, regardless of what Ratcliffe publicly says. His comments are not helpful because they are not believable.

Nobody really expects Amorim to last that long, including, you suspect, the manager himself. At times he has given the impression that three years at Old Trafford is the last thing he wants. It would be ridiculous for United to tie themselves to Amorim for three years unless there is a dramatic turnaround.

There are two probable outcomes that follow Ratcliffe’s observations. Either United back up those words and give Amorim three years in the face of all evidence, or the co-owner faces awkward questions on why he has given in to “kneejerk reactions”.

United are already out of the Carabao Cup and so the FA Cup is their only chance of silverware. Is Ratcliffe suggesting that another trophyless season with a bottom-half finish would be waved away? Amorim given more time and more backing in the next transfer windows? Patience with a manager is an admirable quality; blind faith is not.

Is Ratcliffe suggesting that another trophyless season with a bottom-half finish would be waved away?

Just how committed United are to Amorim might only become apparent next month. Reports have suggested that Amorim would be entitled to £12million if he is sacked before November 1, the first anniversary of his arrival. It would be no surprise if Ratcliffe’s faith in Amorim is motivated by finances. After costly mistakes with Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth, admitting another one would be painful. Ratcliffe has insisted he will make United “the most profitable football club in the world” and expensive pay-outs do not help.

In his defence of Amorim, Ratcliffe pointed to Mikel Arteta and his “miserable time over the first couple of years”. However, Arsenal won the FA Cup in Arteta’s first season and the extent of their descent down the Premier League table was eighth.

Arteta’s priority on arriving was addressing the defence and he deployed a 3-4-3 system to do so but with the longer-term plan to move to his preferred 4-3-3. With that early trophy and improvements in the defensive record, Arteta earned time and the right to overhaul the squad. Amorim, by contrast, came in with his 3-4-2-1 shape and has stuck with it. After almost a year, United are still shaky at the back and the attacking players rarely deliver. There is a formation but not a clear philosophy.

United travel to Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham before the next international break, as well as hosting Brighton. In those fixtures last season, they picked up just one point. United need results. Unless they come soon, it is not certain that Amorim even gets three weeks.