“Get them out now before they make the board sack you too. They are actually the reason I lost my job at Old Trafford” – This is according to Erik Ten Hag as he advises Ruben Amorim given that Newcastle’s goals highlight three Manchester United players Ruben Amorim need to offload quickly.

Newcastle needed just four minutes to take the lead against Manchester United on Monday night, a goal that likely left Ruben Amorim questioning the performance of three key players.

The Portuguese coach has endured a challenging start at Old Trafford, with his side suffering three consecutive defeats under his leadership. The road ahead doesn’t get any easier, with Newcastle, Liverpool, and Arsenal lined up as their next opponents.

Despite being brought in to improve United’s form after Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, Amorim has struggled to make an impact. Newcastle continued United’s poor run of form, capitalizing early in the match with a goal from Alexander Isak.

Lewis Hall delivered a precise cross into the United box, and Isak, completely unmarked, headed it home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The defensive trio of Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Lisandro Martinez were caught flat-footed, raising questions about their effectiveness. The defensive lapses continued when Newcastle doubled their lead through Joelinton.

Anthony Gordon sent in a cross that Joelinton headed into the net without any challenge, once again exposing the shortcomings of United’s backline. The lack of urgency from De Ligt, Maguire, and Martinez highlighted a glaring issue Amorim must address.

Given the centrality of these defenders to Amorim’s system, it seems inevitable that reinforcements will be sought in 2025. Fans and pundits alike agree that United’s current defensive setup isn’t up to the standard required at Old Trafford, and significant changes are necessary to stop the rot.