Ruben Amorim has made Manchester United worse – is there a decision to make?

The club sit 15th in the Premier League - perhaps short-term pain under Amorim will lead to long-term gain, but so far, there is scant evidence it will. A couple of hours later, West Ham clinched victory at Arsenal to mean United only held on to 15th place on goal difference. The number has a further significance: they have played 15 league games under Ruben Amorim, taking 15 points. It isn’t quite relegation form, much as the Evertonians enjoyed chanting “going down” when they boasted a 2-0 lead; but over Amorim’s reign, only the three promoted clubs have collected fewer points.

The watching Sir Alex Ferguson is always used as proof that managers need time; some do, albeit with the caveat that Ferguson is the exception to every rule. A criticism of Amorim is that, with more time, his United have got worse. They have taken eight points from their last 10 matches. They were flattered by a draw against Everton, just as they were by victory at Fulham. They were the inferior team for 75 minutes when they beat Southampton. It leaves a 2-2 at Anfield as a lone deserved and impressive result.

Bruno Fernandes rescued United at Everton. A reason why the superclubs never normally slip this low is that they have individuals capable of securing results, even when everything else is going wrong, and the victory over Southampton came courtesy of another, in Amad Diallo.

Amorim did not buy this squad, with the recent exceptions of Patrick Dorgu and the teenager Ayden Heaven but, apart from the loanee Carlos Alcaraz, the only player at Everton bought by Moyes was Seamus Coleman, recruited in 2009. Moyes has galvanised Everton since his return. It is not entirely Amorim’s fault his United have looked drained of energy; not when they have so many slow players. But they cannot press, or pass at pace. Whatever his pre-match instructions, they begin games badly. They have one goal before half-time in their last 11 league matches; even that was a penalty.

Amorim exiled Rashford. At Goodison, with more meagre resources and no pretence a philosophy comes first, Moyes has taken a limited group of players and looked for a way to win. There could be a lesson for Amorim there, were he willing to learn it. It is tempting to wonder if he should have borrowed from the knowledge of another United alumnus. Perhaps he should have kept the assistant turned caretaker Ruud van Nistelrooy on as a sounding board, a voice of more experience; it would have also spared him an increasingly traumatic time in charge of Leicester.

Instead, Amorim opted for the youthful coaching team who helped him succeed at Sporting. His assistant Carlos Fernandes is in charge of set-pieces but, along with Wolves, United have conceded the most goals in the division from corners. Their problems are not confined to dead-ball situations. If United were the worst team in the division tactically under Erik ten Hag, now they are under Amorim; just in a different way, with the illogical dogma of a 3-4-3 formation staffed by players operating out of position. There are square pegs in round holes: rectangular, triangular and hexagonal pegs, too, but a lack of round ones.

At some point, United’s powerbrokers may have to decide if they have put a square peg in a round hole. A comparison can be drawn with their counterparts at Goodison Park. New owners have made one appointment apiece. The Friedkin Group were accused of being unimaginative by bringing back Moyes. They now look inspired. Ratcliffe and Ineos thought they had found the future in Amorim, Instead, they have made the present more unpleasant. Perhaps short-term pain will lead to long-term gain. But so far, there is scant evidence it will.