Ruben Amorim's first season as head coach of Manchester United now depends on success in the Europa League. However, it would be extremely ironic if the "Red Devils" sacked Amorim in less than 5 months.
Amorim takes over a team Man United are 14th in the Premier League and they are still in that position after failing to win 11 of their last 16 matches.
Man United have also been eliminated from the Carabao Cup and FA Cup under Amorim and are now tasked with finding their winning streak against Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16. Three days later, they will return to Old Trafford to welcome Arsenal in the Premier League.
But to do so, especially when there is too much pressure and noise around, it is always easier to say than do. Being eliminated from the FA Cup seems to have dealt a heavy blow to Man United's mentality. The players hope the FA Cup could provide a beacon of hope for the second half of the campaign, but now it will rely entirely on the Europa League.
The general mood at Old Trafford is very bad when considering the dismissal and cutting of almost everything provided to the staff. The weak performance of the players on the field only made the problem worse.
When Sky Sports asked Amorim if he would receive any guarantees for the upcoming summer transfer window and the rebuilding level, he said nothing.
The Europa League will be extremely important for Man United in terms of finances, emotions and hope. Amorim still has to create trust for the team, the fans and the board.
Everyone has noticed that, unlike Erik ten Hag, there has been no public statement in support of the Portuguese head coach. However, it would be unimaginable if the Red Devils sacked a "captain" they had just appointed in mid-season.
In theory, Man United's board will have to support Amorim in any way they can after sacking Ten Hag. However, this becomes complicated due to their Profit and Sustainability rules situation.
There must be a serious reduction in the squad in the summer - at a significant cost - for Man United to be able to reduce the huge amount of work they need to do. If they don't, they are at risk of another disappointing season, or worse.
A bright spot for Man United in recent weeks has been the appearance of 17-year-old striker Chido Obi. However, this tomorrow star will not be able to appear in the European arena.
Obi made his first-team debut for Man United 10 days after the Europa League trophy deadline for the change of lineup had passed. Obi impressed in his brief debut against Fulham in the FA Cup.
