Sorry United are nightmare of Amorim's own making

Is it, Jason Wilcox may have wondered, how a director of football's time should finish? With applause from around the ground and a picture of him on the big screen, surrounded by the multitude of trophies won in his tenure? But the man being lauded was Txiki Begiristain, who returned to Manchester City for a hug from his old ally Pep Guardiola and a tribute from his former club.

- RICHARD JOLLY SENIOR FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT

Perhaps, in his retirement in the Basque Country, Begiristain should expect a call from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, given the Manchester United co-owner’s fondness for hiring people with City on their CV. Ruben Amorim was an appointment with a difference, perhaps chosen in part because of a suspicion he might be lined up to succeed Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. Instead, he came off second best to the Catalan in City’s 3-0 win. The eventual verdict on the season may still be that Guardiola’s best days are in the past, but this was another awful afternoon for Amorim. The idea that he is the next great manager has taken a battering in the last 10 months.

“The record says everything, I understand,” admitted Amorim. Because the issue is not merely one derby defeat, or even the familiarity of some of the flaws it contained. It is Amorim’s return over the course of his reign. United finished 15th last season. They are 14th now. But construct a table of the 17 clubs that have been the constants in his tenure and United are 17th and bottom, with 31 points from 31 games. “It is not a record you should have in Manchester United,” said Amorim. Take his results over a season and they could be called relegation form. As it is, United have made their worst start to a league campaign since 1992-93. They won the league then. They might not finish in the top half now.