Ruben Amorim was dealt the fifth defeat of his Manchester United tenure on Thursday night, courtesy of one of the Premier League’s most out-of-form sides this season.
An entirely revitalised outfit under new head coach Vitor Pereira, Wolverhampton Wanderers trounced the Red Devils on their home turf to seal back-to-back victories for Pereira against his compatriot in the visiting dugout.
The result leaves United 14th-placed in the table, having just spent Christmas Day in the bottom half of the division for the first time in Premier League history. Now, with Newcastle United, Liverpool and Arsenal (FA Cup) on the horizon, it doesn’t bear thinking about how their situation could look by mid-January.
Of course, co-owners INEOS will have the opportunity to reinforce Amorim’s options as early as next week, though whether Sir Jim Ratcliffe will put his hand in his pocket – after the severe cost-cutting measures he’s implemented – remains to be seen.
INEOS urged to grant Amorim two PL stars as January signings
Fans are entering the transfer window with little hope of any big-name arrivals being sanctioned. Even if the funds were available, the majority of clubs across Europe are disinclined to part ways with any of their key players midway through a season.
Take Wolves, for example. The likes of Matheus Cunha, who scored the opener on Thursday, and Rayan Ait-Nouri have already begun garnering interest from numerous top-flight clubs, but with the West Midlands side tasked with survival from now until May, there’s no chance Pereira will allow such vital talismans to depart.
Journalist Henry Winter specifically name-dropped the pair as two potential signings that could instantaneously transform this struggling United team, saying: “Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri would instantly improve Manchester United’s left side (tucked-in 10 and wing-back respectively), especially in this 3-4-2-1 system Ruben Amorim wants to play. Confident and direct. Not that Wolves would want to sell them obv[iously].”
