Brian McClair Exclusive: United Need To Stick By Amorim, Even If They Lose Final

Former Manchester United forward Brian McClair believes Ruben Amorim deserves the summer transfer window to turn the club's fortunes around. 

The Portuguese is under immense pressure to improve the club, who are currently 16th in the Premier League. 

However, victory over Tottenham in the final of the Europa League tonight will bring Champions League football back to Old Trafford. 

McClair won 14 trophies at United including four league titles, and he told Gambling.com in an exclusive interview that the club should back the former Sporting CP manager time to get things right. 

"I think Manchester United have decided that with the way things have gone, with the fitness and health of the players, as well as factors that haven't been made public, that they've chosen him to be their coach," McClair said.

"They're going to give him as much time as they feel is necessary for him to get it right.

"I don't think that they'll make a change if they're not successful on Wednesday.

"They'd have to back him for at least this transfer window to see if they can improve.

"You have more funds available and the attraction of playing in Champions League football next season. 

"Therefore, you'll be looking to recruit players that will suit what the objectives are with regards to the European competition. 

"If they don't do that, they're not in Europe. It may well be the next plan about which players they're going to recruit.

"The objective next season has to be qualifying for Europe [in the Premier League].

"I'm not saying it'll be Champions League football, because we can see where the number of teams are looking to get into this season. 

"There'll need to be a big change for Amorim, but you need to give him that opportunity."

Amorim Needs Players To Fit His Formation

Amorim has stuck to his principle of playing football his way. 

So far, it has not produced the results he or the fans want, but McClair hopes that will change next season.

"Amorim stuck steadfastly to the system because that's what he believes in," McClair said. 

"I think he will continue to do that [next season], but only if he gets players that are more capable than the ones that are available to him. 

"But if he doesn't, he's going to have to look to change things, because I think we've got one great example of that in the Premier League this year.

"Southampton stuck to their idea of how they wanted to play all the way through and they didn't get the results. 

"Although for them, I’m not saying that it [changing their system/philosophy] would have made a lot of difference, as they still got relegated."

Hojlund Needs Support

McClair's goals helped Celtic and Manchester United win the trophies they did when he was at both clubs in the 1980s and 1990s.

It's one area where United have been found wanting this season with Rasmus Hojlund, their first choice striker, scoring just four league goals. 

McClair feels sorry for the Dane, who has struggled ever since United paid Atalanta around £72m for his services in the summer of 2023. 

"There's no evidence of any ability to score goals, and there wasn't any evidence to say that he was going to score goals" McClair said. 

"Hojlund is a player that gives his all in every game, but it's not just down to him.

"Bruno Fernandes has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League this season. 

"There's all sorts of different types of forwards, and I don't think Hojlund is a goalscorer, in the same way that I don't think that previous players that have played up front for Manchester United have been goalscorers."

Delap Could Be United's Answer

While Hojlund has struggled to score, Liam Delap had no such trouble finding the net for an Ipswich side that was relegated. 

Delap scored 12 goals for the Tractor Boys and McClair feels he is the type of player United should be looking to sign. 

"Delap is someone who's scored double figures in the Premier League for a team that's got relegated," McClair said. 

"And not only that, his performances have been of real quality.

"I think the only way that he was going to sign for Ipswich, was to have a clause in the contract [that allowed him to leave if they were relegated]. 

"Around £30m is a bargain, but it’s whether he fancies going to Manchester United or not.

"It would be someone I think they should be looking to recruit anyway. 

"He's a player that can create opportunities for other players and for himself, which I don't think Manchester United have got as a forward."