Manchester United suffered a 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, bringing them back to square one despite recent wins. Gary Neville believes the team has declined under Ruben Amorim and warns, "It can't keep going on like this." The loss was Amorim's fifth home defeat in seven league games, making him the fastest United manager to reach that unwanted record in Premier League history. Neville fears things will only get worse as the season progresses, especially with the club committed to sticking with Amorim. "I expected improvement with Amorim's arrival, but it's actually gotten worse," Neville said on his podcast. "If the losses continue, it'll be harder for him to convince players to believe in his approach."
Amorim’s controversial decision to start midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as a striker, leaving natural forwards Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee on the bench, raised eyebrows. Meanwhile, Palace's striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored both goals in their victory.
Neville criticized Amorim’s tactics, saying his selection gave Palace confidence. "He might be experimenting or doesn't trust his strikers, but football is about scoring goals. Mainoo, Garnacho, and Amad are talented but not goal-scoring threats. Palace’s defenders would have felt comfortable against them."
Neville urged Amorim to simplify his approach and make practical team selections. "Even if he doesn’t rate Hojlund or Zirkzee, he has to work with what he has. Otherwise, United will continue to struggle, and changes will be needed."
