“In Manchester United, you don’t have the time,” Ruben Amorim said when quizzed on his future after the Red Devils were beaten 1-0 by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday. “I will not have the time. We have to get it right fast. In here, the pressure is too big sometimes.”

That was United’s 13th Premier League defeat of the season, one fewer than their all-time worst tally set in 2023-24, and it left them seven points behind 10th-placed Bournemouth with only eight games remaining. It’s safe to say that Amorim’s side won’t salvage a top-half finish, and United will also miss out on continental football for the first time in 10 years if they fail to win the Europa League.

No wonder Amorim is feeling the pressure. The former Sporting CP boss signed a contract until 2027 when replacing Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford in November, but there is no guarantee he will see that through after failing to inspire an immediate turnaround in fortunes.