Harry Maguire explains Ruben Amorim's Man Utd struggles with Erik ten Hag comparison | OneFootball

Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire has explained that Ruben Amorim's adaptation was always "going to be tough" because of the dramatically different style of play which he is trying to introduce.

Amorim was appointed at Erik ten Hag's permanent successor at the start of November. The former Sporting CP head coach didn't take charge of his first competitive fixture until the end of the move after seeing out his notice in Lisbon. In this window of many matches and few training sessions, the 39-year-old has deployed a new formation and defensive approach.

Across his opening ten matches at the helm, Amorim has suffered a record-breaking five defeats - the worst start of any United boss since the Second World War. Maguire has watched this bleak sequence of results from the bench and the heart of defence, including the current run of three consecutive losses, and puts it down to such a severe change in style.

"The thing is with the managers and the styles, it is not like they have come in and they have similar styles," Maguire told Sky Sports when comparing Amorim to Ten Hag, who did not operate with a back-three or try and press as high up the pitch. "They are the total opposite in terms of what they want and what they demand.

"So the transition period is going to be tough. We all have great belief in the manager and all his coaching staff. I am sure things are going to turn around. He knows exactly what he needs to do to get this club back. He has come in and done everything he needs to do. He is really demanding."

Harry Maguire has featured in United's last six Premier League matches / Naomi Baker/GettyImages

After Amorim's Manchester United debut - an underwhelming 1-1 draw with freshly promoted Ipswich Town - the Portuguese boss claimed that his players were "thinking too much". That tentative display which has been fostered by an information overload has pervaded through Amorim's brief, and thus far unsuccessful, reign.

Despite offering an explanation, Maguire was not providing any excuses. "We are just doing everything we can to climb the table," the centre-back said. "We can't really set a target at the moment because we are nowhere near good enough and nowhere near where we want to be in the league table.

"It is really disappointing what we have done until now. Everybody knows that. We know it is not good enough for this club."