Manchester United should ditch their team of prima donnas and consider a Brentford-style squad rebuild.
That’s the view of singer-songwriter and lifelong United fan Olly Murs, who joined the panel of talkSPORT’s designated Manchester United show, Inside Devils.
The honeymoon period for new head coach Ruben Amorim proved to be nothing more than a flash in the pan after he drew away at Ipswich and then beat Bodo/Glimt and Everton in his first three matches.
But back-to-back Premier League defeats against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest has left the club sitting 13th in the table.
Up next for United is Thursday’s Europa League trip to Viktoria Plzen before Sunday’s mammoth Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.
And Murs left nothing on the table when discussing United’s current plight.
He even suggested the 20-time Premier League champions should aspire to build a workmanlike squad like what Thomas Frank has done at Brentford.
The 2009 X Factor runner-up says he hopes Amorim adopts an approach similar to that of his time at Sporting Lisbon with a preference for a collective rather than individual stars.
He said: “I’m at the stage where I’m thinking, would I prefer a Brentford squad over this squad?
“Would I prefer a squad that works hard as a team?”
Murs added: “Sporting worked as a team, there’s no real big stars.
“I just think we’ve got too many individuals and too many prima donnas. Fingers crossed he [Amorim] stops buying names – buy squad players.
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“We’re not what we used to be. We need to build a squad that runs and works for the team. We just don’t have that at the moment.”
A glowing start to Amorim’s reign let to hope from fans that United are finally on the right track.
However, the Red Devils quickly slipped back into bad habits by showing their frailties particularly from set-pieces against Arsenal and Forest.
“We just don’t do the basics right,” Murs states. “We don’t work hard enough. We’re always waiting for individual moments.
“Again at the weekend we’re all saying, ‘Come on Amad [Diallo], do something.’
“[Marcus] Rashford, let’s not even go there with him, but can someone do something?”
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United’s busy schedule sees them play eight games across four competitions over the busy Christmas and New Year period.
The games come thick and fast for Amorim with trips to Tottenham and Liverpool before an intriguing FA Cup third-round clash at Arsenal on January 12.
United are the current holders, however Murs believes Amorim should prioritise League duties and Champions League qualification through the Europa League rather than defending the FA Cup.
“I hope in the FA Cup and maybe a few Manchester United fans think I’m stupid here,” he added.
“We’re playing against Arsenal in the third round.
“I’d much prefer him just to have two weeks with the boys and instead, rotate the squad (against Arsenal) and concentrate on getting a decent league position and the Europa League.
“If he can get time on the training field with these guys, rest them.
“Get the recovery and get the right players back, that would be better for us and better for him.”