A defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town has not only dumped them out of the Carabao Cup but also left manager Ruben Amorim’s future in doubt.
In the aftermath, Amorim cut a beaten figure. His post-match comments carried the tone of a man on the edge, hinting that his players were no longer playing for him and giving the impression that he himself was close to walking away.
For a coach brought in to rejuvenate United, the sight of him barely able to watch the penalty shootout against a side three divisions below them spoke volumes.
United’s season has begun with three winless league games and a cup exit before the end of August. The team look exposed and the results disastrous.
What makes it worse is that Amorim’s warning signs seem to have been ignored.
READ MORE: The numbers behind Man Utd's defeat to Grimsby Town
At the end of last season, sources close to the dressing room say he delivered a clear message to the board: a new goalkeeper was a top priority.
Not just one, in fact. Amorim wanted both Altay Bayindir and Andre Onana replaced. Instead, he started this campaign with both still on the books.
Their high-profile errors - Bayindir in the league and Onana against Grimsby - have already cost United dearly.
This is not to say Amorim is blameless. His tactical decisions are under the microscope and his record since taking the reins does not inspire confidence. But the recruitment strategy has left him scrambling.
He wanted a trusted goalkeeper, but the incoming Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp is talented yet untested at this level.
He wanted Victor Osimhen as the spearhead of his attack, but the club baulked at the striker’s personal demands and instead settled for Benjamin Sesko.
He wanted a defensive midfielder to anchor his system - but that signing has not arrived.
Instead, United spent heavily on Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, two forwards with pedigree - but neither has shifted the mentality of a squad still carrying unwanted players waiting to be sold. The result is an unbalanced side with glaring holes in key areas.
Sources indicate that United’s hierarchy have warned Amorim that qualification for Europe this season is non-negotiable.
Yet, after just a few weeks, the club sit 16th in the Premier League and are already out of one of only two competitions available to them.
The irony is that just two weeks ago, United were exploring a £100m move for Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, a player seen as tailor-made for Amorim’s system. Now the same club is weighing up the sale of Kobbie Mainoo, one of their brightest academy graduates.
For Amorim, this is a tough moment. His demands in the market have been half met, his results have been poor, and his demeanour has gone from bullish to beaten in record time.
The vision of a coach set to build a new United has quickly given way to the image of a man unsure whether he even wants to continue.
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