IF Ruben Amorim did not recognise the scale of his Manchester United task before, he surely does now.
Sunday’s 3-0 Old Trafford trouncing by Bournemouth left United 13th at Christmas — seven points closer to the relegation zone than the Prem summit.
The Portuguese manager had pondered whether to take the Prem plunge mid-season or wait until the end of the campaign before leaving Sporting Lisbon.
Unsurprisingly, the lure of Old Trafford and turning around a suffering beast proved too great.
But Amorim needs to wave a magic wand fast or risk seeing the season unravel, with dire consequences for summer recruitment.
Amorim has a preferred 3-4-3 formation and plenty of the squad he inherited are not designed to play in such a system.
If fans did not believe that a few weeks ago, they will do now.
SunSport looks at the five players Amorim needs to build his team around, the five who must be pushed through the exit door and those whose future remains in their hands…
STAYERS —
MANUEL UGARTE
Uruguayan midfielder struggled in his early games but that might have been because everything Erik ten Hag touched had already started turning to dust.
In recent weeks, Ugarte has looked like the real deal, with a genuine ability to do that vital dirty work in the middle.
AMAD DIALLO
Ivorian wideman has been at United for five years — but is starting to turn his promise into something concrete.
Amorim needs the wider players in his attacking trident to be able to invert and cause problems but also have the ability to attack in the outer areas of the pitch. Amad ticks all those boxes, with pace to burn.
LENY YORO
Another United youngster and plagued by injuries after his summer arrival from Lille.
Plenty for the 19-year-old to learn and assuming Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire stay, they can help him live up to the reputation he arrived with from France.
BRUNO FERNANDES
Some still accuse the Portuguese of being a flat-track bully but he remains at the creative hub of most of the things United do well.
Of course, Amorim needs his captain to lead, not hide, and Fernandes still has games where he might go missing. But if he plays well, usually so do United.
KOBBIE MAINOO
Missed the start of the Amorim era through injury and three defeats in the four matches since his return does not augur well.
Mainoo, though, is still short of match sharpness. Yes, the 19-year-old makes mistakes.
But he has the ability to make a mark in midfield and can forge a proper partnership with Ugarte, given time to work on it.
LEAVERS —
MARCUS RASHFORD
Rashford’s decision to go public on his willingness to leave his boyhood club might make things easier for Amorim than if he was seen to be pushing the England man out of the door.
But it was hard to see the forward being a natural fit for the Amorim system — even before the fallout of the past two weeks.
Unlike many of the potential discards, selling Rashford makes some economic sense, too, as any transfer fee can be calculated at full book value in the club’s Profit and Sustainability Rules accounting.
ANTONY
Plenty of Stretford End regulars saw through the Brazilian after a couple of months when he joined in the summer of 2022.
Nearly 2-and-a-half years later, the rest of the United supporters have caught up.
Winger Antony represents the worst of Ten Hag’s scoop-up of Eredivisie players that he knew from his Ajax days.
The £85.5million flop offers nothing. Getting rid, even at a massive loss, is the only option.
CASEMIRO
The Brazilian’s arrival from Real Madrid might have made sense at the time and he did score in the Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle in 2023.
Yet United are now forking out a fortune for a midfielder who can barely rumble, let alone run, and who has been overtaken by the harshest enemy of all — time.
LISANDRO MARTINEZ
Another Ten Hag project who appears to be dialling it in over recent weeks — and making far too many mistakes.
The Argentine defender has never been that physically imposing but he keeps shrinking from battle.
He looks like a player who does not want to be there.
LUKE SHAW
Harsh to blame the England left-back — but his body is letting him down so much that Amorim cannot rely on him ever being fit.
Shaw would have been ideal as the left-sided wing-back for the next two years if he could guarantee availability. But he simply cannot.
LOTS TO PROVE —
MASON MOUNT
Another whose issues are physical but just nine Prem starts in 18 months since his move from Chelsea tell you everything about the England midfielder.
Mount, if fit, could definitely have a role, even if off the bench. Yet what are the chances of him staying available for long enough?
RASMUS HOJLUND
United thought enough of the Dane’s potential to pay £64m up front to land him from Atalanta — and he will probably get the chance to be first-choice No 9.
Hojlund, though, has yet to convince that he is the natural predator United hoped they were signing.
He remains very much a work in progress.
ALEJANDRO GARNACHO
Dropped for the 2-1 derby win over City and in the line of fire by some as United’s mole hunt continues, the winger made the right response in training.
Three Prem goals this season, though, is a poor return and that Puskas Award for his bicycle-kick stunner at Everton last term will mean little to the new manager.
JOSHUA ZIRKZEE
Precious little, so far, to suggest the Dutch striker can have a long-term Old Trafford future.
However, it makes little sense to ditch him after just a few months at the club.
Zirkzee has to demonstrate he is mobile and dangerous — to make things happen rather than wait for opportunities to fall at his feet.
NOUSSAIR MAZRAOUI
Versatility and the ability to play in a number of roles at the back may help the Moroccan.
Yet he has done little so far to indicate he will be a part of the furniture for too long.
Hard to see him operating as a wing-back other than when injuries kick in and does he have the defensive resilience to be trusted in a back three? Up to him to provide the answer.
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