"The system is immutable," Neville said on Sky Sports after witnessing Manchester United's 0-3 defeat at Manchester City in matchday 4 of the Premier League. "Manchester United fans may like it or not, but Amorim won't change. He'd rather die in his own hole than adapt. This stubbornness means Manchester United will continue to encounter problems, especially when they need to change their approach."

Former defender Gary Neville (right) and manager Ruben Amorim. Photo: *Sky Sports*

According to Neville, Amorim is excessively rotating his defense. "He changes the back three or the entire back five in almost every game. This destabilizes the defense, which should be the foundation of any big club," Neville added. "Even Mason Mount had to play left wing-back against Grimby (a League Two team, in the English League Cup). That's absurd."

In yesterday's Manchester derby, Manchester United conceded a first-half goal to Phil Foden before Erling Haaland scored a brace in the second half for Manchester City. In the stands, tens of thousands of blue-clad fans performed the poznan, while the Manchester United supporters' section remained silent.

Amorim has managed Manchester United in 31 Premier League matches, winning only 8, drawing 7, and losing 16. His win rate in the league is only 25.8%. Many experts believe that Amorim's 3-4-3 system is unsuitable for the current Manchester United squad. But after the match at the Etihad, Amorim stated he was determined not to change his football philosophy. "If they want change, sack the manager," he said.

Neville believes Manchester United's biggest problem lies in midfield. The team's best player, Bruno Fernandes, is being played out of position in a double pivot. "Fernandes can play deeper when Manchester United have possession," the 50-year-old former defender said. "But against teams with strong midfields, he's easily overrun and ineffective. As a result, Manchester United often concede goals in open play."

Besides Bruno, Neville also considers several other positions not up to par for a competitive team. Midfielder Manuel Ugarte is considered "not good enough," Luke Shaw is "playing his worst football of the season," and goalkeeper Altay Bayindir is seen as "unlikely to be the long-term number one."

However, the 50-year-old former defender stated he isn't calling for Amorim's immediate dismissal. Instead, Neville warned that the pressure will increase if the "Red Devils" continue to decline. "Four games in and they're in the bottom half of the table. If they lose to Chelsea next week, the situation could become very dangerous," he added. "Manchester United cannot afford to end October in the bottom group after spending over 270 million USD."

The one positive Neville sees is that the players haven't given up. But, according to him, Amorim needs to quickly convey his ideas more effectively, or "the price will be very high."

Hoang An (*Sky Sports*)