Back under a heavy cloud

RUBEN HONEYMOOK OVER AS STORM HITS OLD TRAFFORD AGAIN

- DAVID MCDONNELL

WHEN Ruben Amorim arrived for his first day as Manchester United boss last month, the sun was shining and the sky was cloudless.

Seven weeks on at United and the sunlight has given way to brooding clouds, the mood of optimism has faded, and a familiar sense of despair has taken its place.

The fog that shrouded Molineux in United's 2-0 defeat to Wolves on Boxing Day was entirely fitting for a club that cannot see a way out of its current malaise, disappearing deeper into mediocrity.

When United sacked Erik ten Hag on October 28, they were mired in 14th place in the Premier League. They remain in the same position, after four defeats in five league games, with even diehard fans rightly questioning those running the club.

In short, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his executive team kept Erik ten Hag on, spent £200million on summer signings, only to sack him three months later and bring in Amorim, who does not have the personnel to play his system.