Amorim has relegation fears and says playing system isn't working at Man United

Old Trafford witnessed a dismal 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday night that sees the Premier League giants lie 14th in the table.

United have suffered nine defeats in the Premier League this season and have lost in their last four outings across all competitions.

The last time United went down was in the 1973/74 season when, in April, Birmingham beat Norwich City to condemn Tommy Docherty's side to the Second Division.

To make it worse, United were playing Manchester City at the same time at Old Trafford, which their rivals won thanks to a backheel goal by United hero Denis Law, who didn't celebrate.

Today, just seven points separates them and the bottom three, with rivals Liverpool a whopping 23 points ahead of them at the top.

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The prospect of relegation, despite how unlikely it may be for a club of United's stature, has slowly become a talking point in the past week.

History shows that their current Premier League standing could be the downfall of the 13-time winners this season.

Four teams in English top flight history who have sat 14th in the table at the turn of a new year have then been relegated.

Newcastle were the first side to do so in the 2008/09 season before Burnley followed suit a year later.

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Norwich suffered the same fate in the 2013/14 campaign, with Leeds the latest club following their relegation in 2023.

United could therefore be staring down the barrel of Championship football next season, although they have another 19 matches to improve.

It's a situation that head coach Amorim is certainly aware of as he told talkSPORT: "I'm really concerned.

"If you see the league, it's really tough, every team has the possibility to win games, so we have to be really honest with our supporters.

"And especially with our players, we will fight for our lives, we have to continue."

He added: "A really tough moment. One of the most difficult moments, I think, in the history of Manchester United. And we lost again at home. So that is a fact.

"And you have to continue to believe and to work. That is the only way to improve."

When asked if his playing system which favours three at the back is working, Amorim said: "I think that is a fact and that is true [that it's not working].

"But I cannot change my idea in one day because they will lose so much more now.

"So I will try to do the way that I am trying to do. I adapt for every game, the positioning, the way you press.

"I'm trying to cope with all that without training. So it's really hard on them. But I will maintain my idea that I want to play a certain way until the end, because I think if I change everything now, we are going to lose everything."

United conceded the first goal of the night just four minutes into the match when Alexander Isak was allowed to head in unmarked.

Joelinton scored Newcastle's second in the 19th minute to only add to the tension from the home fans inside Old Trafford.

Joshua Zirkzee was substituted ahead of half-time for Kobbie Mainoo and met with sarcastic cheers from United supporters.

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Club legend Gary Neville said the first 30 minutes of the game was grim and hard to watch, while boos rang out from fans at the end of the first half following a dismal performance.

United improved in the second half but could only see out the match with a two-goal disadvantage and therefore lose again.

Listening to Amorim's post-match comments, talkSPORT host Darren Ambrose was surprised at how honest the manager was being.

"If he didn't mean it before, when he talked about surviving - he meant just this period of bad results - I think now he's certainly thinking about relegation."

Their opening matches of 2025 are anything but easy as Liverpool host them at Anfield before a trip to Arsenal in the FA Cup.

Given their north west rivals Liverpool are considered to be among the best side in the country, there are fears it could be a hiding on the weekend.

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Neville summed it up while watching the Newcastle defeat, saying: "You're watching the worst pound for pound football team in the country, bar none."

It looks set to be a testing few months for United, who have ended 2024 with a whimper.