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Manchester United icon Paul Scholes feels that the club has significantly mismanaged their summer transfer approach and lacks the quality necessary for manager Ruben Amorim's contentious 3-4-3 formation.
The team has begun their league campaign in the worst manner since the 1992-93 season, accumulating only four points from their first four matches.
An internal review by United revealed that they would achieve better returns on investment by focusing on strengthening their attacking positions during the summer transfer period.
However, despite an expenditure of £200 million on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, the team has managed to find the net only four times in the Premier League so far, two of which were own goals.
Amid increasing external discontent regarding Amorim, exacerbated by United's 3-0 derby loss to Manchester City on Sunday, high-ranking officials continue to express unwavering support for the Portuguese manager.
Similar to their stance following last month's surprising Carabao Cup elimination against League Two's Grimsby, they are convinced that Amorim is the right choice to turn the club’s fortunes around and prefer to focus on a long-term strategy rather than react to current performances.
However, Scholes is concerned that the problems are deeply embedded and will be challenging to rectify.
"I don't believe the quality is present," he shared with BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
"Whichever two midfielders out of the four or five available—Casemiro, Bruno [Fernandes], and [Kobbie] Mainoo—he puts together doesn’t appear to function effectively.
"This is a significant problem. I thought the top priority all summer should have been to secure a midfielder with endurance, capable of influencing a match.
"The goalkeeper situation was also critical. Did it truly take the Grimsby game for them to realize [Andre] Onana isn’t suitable?
"If Manchester United didn’t pursue Gianluigi Donnarumma when he became available, that would be a severe mistake.
"The recruitment team aimed to bring in forwards, which was necessary, but did they truly need to sign three of them? I'm uncertain they did."
'He cannot carry on playing this way'
Chelsea is set to come to Old Trafford on Saturday. Following that, United will travel to Brentford, where they have conceded four goals in each of their last two visits, followed by matches against Sunderland and then Liverpool at Anfield, creating a challenging path for any immediate improvement in their situation.
Scholes is joined by others in believing that United's chances of recovering depend on Amorim altering his tactics, with the club's all-time leading scorer Wayne Rooney asserting that his former team has "deteriorated" under the Portuguese, who took over after Erik ten Hag was dismissed last November.
"He cannot continue to play this way, it's simply not possible," Scholes commented, who garnered 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League victories during his two decades with the club.
"There has to come a point where he acknowledges, ‘I need to change something because what I’m doing currently isn’t yielding results.’ The evidence is right in front of us."
I have a fondness for Amorim; his words convey a sense of likability. Unfortunately, the outcomes tell a different story.
Currently, the situation is not satisfactory. At this juncture, if the outcomes do not show improvement, the quality of performances holds little significance. He must secure victories or he will face significant pressure.
Following a challenging previous season, where United ended up 15th in the league and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham, Amorim dedicated the summer to fostering a positive environment within the dressing room.
Although some players in the United squad appear to be apprehensive about the 40-year-old’s unwillingness to adjust his tactics, there seems to be no indication of widespread dissatisfaction thus far.
The positive sentiment surrounding Amorim extends beyond the boardroom at Old Trafford.
Joao Noronha Lopes, a leading candidate for the Benfica presidency on October 25, is believed to be interested in bringing him back to the club where he gained prominence as a player, having made 154 appearances over six seasons.
Lopes attended the derby at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, joined by Pedro Ferreira and Nuno Gomes, a former forward for Portugal and Benfica, who is among Amorim's closest friends.
Before their departure for Manchester, Gomes discussed the possibility of his hiring in conversations with Portuguese media.
"I can't say for certain," he remarked. "Ruben Amorim is presently the manager of Manchester United.
"However, I am convinced that Ruben Amorim will eventually coach Benfica."
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