Shearer urges Amorim to sign ‘top class’ player as Man Utd ‘have to improve’ in one aspect

Alan Shearer has worked out where Manchester United are going wrong under Ruben Amorim and it is very similar to their biggest problem with Erik ten Hag in charge.
The Red Devils are currently 12th in the Premier League after 21 matches, winning seven, drawing five and losing a ridiculous nine.
They are, at least, above Tottenham, who have lost 11 of their 21 league matches in 2024/25.
Man Utd replaced Ten Hag with Amorim in November but their form has hardly improved with the Portuguese at the helm.
Amorim’s first match was a 1-1 draw away to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town and since that game, his side have been the 14th best team in the Premier League. They were 13th going into his first matchweek.
Man Utd have shown promise against the better teams, however, beating Manchester City at the Etihad and earning a deserved point away to Liverpool before knocking Arsenal out of the FA Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory in London.
They are backing these performances up with poor showings against the lesser teams, like on Thursday at home to bottom-placed Southampton.
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Amorim’s men were trailing from the 43rd to 82nd minute and had Amad Diallo to thank for the eventual 3-1 win, with the Ivorian netting a sensational 12-minute hat-trick.
Their overall performance was abysmal and quite surprising, even for their standards, after their success at Arsenal.
This is something Man Utd also did under Ten Hag, beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final after recording their worst finish in Premier League history, for example.
Man Utd are showing the same signs under Amorim and Newcastle United legend Shearer thinks their form against weaker opposition is a big concern.
The Match of the Day pundit says performances against teams like Southampton and Wolves have “got to improve” and reckons Amorim should sign an elite striker.
“When they went to Arsenal, and went down to 10 men, Man United put in a really impressive, hard, tough performance, they had to stick in there with 10 men, and they had to suffer,” he said.
“The thing is though, I know they won late on, but the match against Southampton showed this, they can play that way against the bigger clubs, like against Arsenal and Liverpool, because sitting and soaking up pressure suits their style of play and suits some of their players, but they aren’t able to play like that at home against Southampton, Wolves, Ipswich, Everton for example – and that’s what he’s got to improve.
“I mean there’s no doubt that he’s probably got his 11 players now that he can say: ‘OK, I know you’re going to give me it all.’
“It might not be pretty, but at least he knows he’s got half a chance with those players and they are another club that need a striker, whether they wait for summer or try and bring some in this month, they have to go and invest in a top class centre forward.”
Shearer did praise defender Harry Maguire for taking his chance under Amorim.
“I think Amorim has gone in there and looked at Harry and probably admired his attitude and who and what he is.
“That’s why they’ve given him a new deal because he’s up for the fight, he gives everything that he’s got, he’s been a very good professional.
“I think that system (3-4-2-1) suits him, when he’s got two centre halves in and around him, and he’s got the two wingbacks there to make it a five when they’re defending.”
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