When Ruben Amorim arrived for his first day as Manchester United head coach last month, the weather was sunny and cloudy.
7 weeks at Old Trafford and the sun has given way to dark clouds. Optimism has also disappeared, replaced by the familiar feeling of despair.
fog covered Molineux in Man United's 0-2 loss to Wolves on Boxing Day. This weather is perfect for a club that cannot find a way out of its predicament and is sinking deeper into mediocrity.
When the "Red Devils" sacked Erik ten Hag on October 28, they were muddy in 14th place in the Premier League. They are still there, having lost four of their last five games. Man United fans have begun to question the people running the club.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his executive team kept Erik ten Hag, spending £200 million in the summer on transfers. However, they sacked him just three months later and appointed Amorim, when the quality of the players was not at his best.
It was a mess created by Man United and it was difficult to sympathize. Especially when considering Man United's decision to fire 250 staff and increase ticket prices to a minimum of £66.
Ratcliffe and his group of highly cited partners also pursued sporting director Dan Ashworth for four months, before deciding to spend £3m. And after 159 days in the job, Ashworth surprisingly left.
Ashworth's departure has raised legitimate questions about the ability of those in charge at Man United, specifically co-owners Ratcliffe, Sir Dave Brailsford, CEO Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox.
Amorim may have seemed a wise appointment, but after 10 games, the Red Devils are currently just eight points above the relegation zone. More worryingly, after Man United's defeat to Wolves, Amorim admitted that he did not know when the team's fortunes would change.
Over time, as Amorim builds his own squad over the years, he could prove himself to be the right Man United man. But for now, the Portuguese tactician's job is to prevent the slide.
Man United will host the resurgent Newcastle in round 19 of the Premier League. Then there is the clash with arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield, before meeting Arsenal in the FA Cup.
With Man United's poor form, it is likely that they will lose all 3 of the above matches, thereby sinking deeper into crisis. What will happen to the "Red Devils" if they have to compete for relegation? That is probably an unusual scenario for a club that has spent a lot of money on transfers in recent years like M.U.
Man United's only salvation this season could be the Europa League. This tournament offers them their only realistic chance of qualifying for next season's Champions League, although the possibility is not high.
Man United were last relegated 50 years ago. This team could be considered the worst since then and if Amorim cannot stop the slide soon, they will find themselves in a similar fight for survival...
