Amorim weathers storm and saves his skin – for now

Storm Amy had battered Manchester for a day and Storm Amorim for the best part of a year, but, drenched as he was by the teeming rain and buffeted by the winds, this was a sunnier day for Ruben Amorim in other respects.

- RICHARD JOLLY AT OLD TRAFFORD

Perhaps he was delaying the inevitable rather than heralding a change of fortune, but there was respite in a 2-0 victory over Sunderland that was among Manchester United's most dominant and emphatic of his troubled tenure.

It was a rare occasion when everything worked for Amorim. He made five changes after the wretched loss at Brentford. One of his summer signings, Benjamin Sesko, scored. Another, Senne Lammens, kept a clean sheet on his debut. Even when a penalty was given against Sesko, the decision was then rescinded. Even when the Belgian came out of his box, collided with Bruno Fernandes and missed the ball, Bertrand Traore did not capitalise and was cautioned for diving.

It could have been much worse, for Amorim and Lammens alike. The Stretford End sang the manager's name. Amorim sensed he has his players' backing, too. “I saw today and I know they want to do their best and I know they don’t want to change the coach all the time,” he said. “But like I said during this week, to be with the manager is, 'I will kill myself to go in every transition'. That is what we need to show with actions.” Victory means Sir Jim Ratcliffe is less likely to finish Amorim off in the international break. A reckoning may have been postponed.