Pundit Gary Neville
Gary Neville revealed the two positions Manchester United must strengthen in January to give Ruben Amorim a fighting chance, while Fabrizio Romano has provided a positive transfer update on a player who looks tailor-made for the Red Devils.
Man Utd suffered their sixth defeat in 11 matches since Ruben Amorim took charge when losing 2-0 to Newcastle on Monday night. The loss was also Man Utd’s fourth in a row and their third in a row without scoring.
While working as a commentator on Sky Sports, United legend Gary Neville labelled the current Red Devils side the “worst pound-for-pound football club in the country.”
The only way should be up, but with Liverpool at Anfield and then Arsenal (FA Cup) at The Emirates up next, the situation and results may get worse before it improves.
But with the January window less than 24 hours away, Man Utd and INEOS have a chance to kickstart the Amorim era – assuming the money is available, of course.
While doubling up as a pundit post-match, Neville was asked by Monday Night Football presenter, Dave Jones, what signings would help Amorim in the here and now.
Neville replied: “Definitely the positions that… look, you could say get a world class centre-forward, get [Alexander] Isak, but that’s never going to happen.
“I think if you were starting you have to start with the fundamentals of this system which is the wing-backs, they hold it together.
“If you don’t have the wing-backs functioning up and down, that are able to attack and defend equally as good – and there aren’t many of those around by the way because there aren’t many teams who play wing-backs – then you’re going to struggle.
“So you need two quite unique players in those wide areas and I think that’s the starting point.
“That’s nothing against [Noussair] Mazraoui and [Diogo] Dalot, they’re very willing and doing the best job that they can. But to me they’re the two areas [that need addressing] in this system.”
Fabrizio Romano talks up Man Utd LWB signing
The arrivals of new right and left wing-backs would not only provide Amorim with specialised players, but would also free up Mazraoui and Dalot to operate in the three-man backline where required.
Lisandro Martinez has looked curiously uncomfortable at left centre-back in a back three and was caught napping for both of Newcastle’s goals on Monday night.
Leny Yoro appears to be Amorim’s favoured player for the right centre-back role, though the young Frenchman lacks experience and his early showings have not been encouraging.
One player who could work wonders for Man Utd in the left wing-back role is Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez.
And according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the 21-year-old Hungarian is “definitely one to watch” in the transfer market in 2025.
Taking to X on Monday, Romano stressed Man Utd are monitoring his progress while also revealing Kerkez has changed representation by signing with Fali Ramadani’s Lian Sports agency.
TEAMtalk understands Kerkez changing agent is a sure-fire sign he’ll be on the move in the very near future.
Man Utd are not alone in tracking Kerkez, however, with Liverpool also taking a keen interest in the player. The Reds are scouring the market for a long-term successor to Andy Robertson.
But Man Utd may have a chance to steal a march on their rivals in January if the money is available. Indeed, a recent update from The Athletic’s Liverpool expert, James Pearce, claimed the Reds are willing to wait until the summer before signing Robertson’s heir.
Latest Man Utd news – Carragher roasts Amorim, Neville on Amorim sack
In other news, pundit Jamie Carragher has pointed the finger of blame for the Newcastle defeat squarely at Amorim.
“We have been speaking about [Christian] Eriksen and Casemiro on this show 18 months ago,” Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football. “That’s on the manager.
“These players can’t run. We know that. That is on the manager putting these two players in that position [alongside each other in a two-man midfield] and in that system. It is a major flaw. These two players can’t cover it.
“I’ve got no criticism at all with Eriksen or Casemiro. That is the manager’s fault. There is no way that plan could have worked in any way shape or form.”
Elsewhere, Gary Neville also weighed in on whether Amorim could be sacked if results continue to crater.
When asked whether the Red Devils would stick with Amorim no matter what, Neville told Sky Sports: “I mean, whatever happened? Probably not.”
He did, however, back the board to give him every chance to turn things around, adding: “They’re going to support him, aren’t they? Their mindset is such now that they’re going to dig in, support the manager, and get him through maybe a transfer window in January.
“I’m not sure there’s that much money to spend in January because they’re on the edge of FFP, but they’ll obviously get to the summer and there’s going to have to be a huge overhaul again.”
