MANCHESTER, England — Ruben Amorim made the astonishing admission that his Manchester United flops are the worst team in the club's history after Sunday's dismal 3-1 defeat against Brighton.

United crumbled to a sixth loss in 11 Premier League games since Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag.

"We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United," Amorim said after his side's wretched display at Old Trafford.

"I know you want headlines but I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines."

Amorim's side is languishing in 13th place and although it is 10 points above the relegation zone, it is far from certain to avoid being dragged into the survival struggle on the evidence of Sunday's display.

Yankuba Minteh set the tone for United's moribund performance with an early opener for Brighton.

Bruno Fernandes equalized with a penalty before halftime, but second-half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter left United in turmoil.

United has suffered six home league defeats this season, its most from its opening 12 matches of a season since 1893-94.

It has also lost 10 of its 22 league games this season, the earliest into a top-flight campaign that it has hit double figures for defeats since 1989-90.

"Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me. We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that," Amorim said.

While United has not been dragged completely into the fight for survival just yet, Amorim must find a way to get results to avoid the pressure on him becoming intolerable.

The 39-year-old arrived at United in November, hailed as one of Europe's brightest young coaches.

But his preferred 3-4-3 formation is not suited to the players in United's squad.

Yet, while he admitted he is only thinking of avoiding relegation now, the Portuguese coach refuses to change his philosophy.

"I am not going to change, no matter what. I know we can succeed but we need to survive this moment. I am not naive. We need to survive now," Amorim said.

United's latest calamity came on the day the club paid a somber tribute to Denis Law after its legendary striker passed away aged 84 on Friday.

Underperforming

Law is immortalized in a statue of United's "Holy Trinity" alongside Bobby Charlton and George Best outside Old Trafford.

Fans laid scarves and flowers at the statue in tribute to the third-highest scorer in United's history and took part in a minute's applause for Law prior to kickoff.

What transpired after that would have shocked Law to his core as Amorim's team once again failed to live up to the storied history of the 20-time English champion.

"In nine games in the Premier League, we won two," Amorim said. "Everybody here is underperforming, no matter what the circumstances.

"We are underperforming and have to accept that. It's unacceptable to lose so many games, for any Premier League club, imagine Manchester United.

"So it's a really hard moment but we have to continue, we have to continue, there is no other way."

United has lost six of its last seven league games against Brighton in an indication of how far it has fallen since last winning the title in 2013.

Amorim's side hosts Rangers in its next game on Thursday in the Europa League, with the manager desperate for a positive result to change the mood.

"I knew it was going to be hard to put a completely new idea in the moment, but when you lose games and don't win three games in a row it becomes really hard," Amorim said.

"So that's why I'm telling we are going to suffer because I will continue to do the same.

"I am just here to help my players, but we need to understand we are breaking all the bad records."

Amorim was brought in to turn around United's fortunes after more than a decade of on-field decline since former manager Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

But despite arriving with a big reputation, having led Sporting Lisbon to two Portuguese league titles, he has been slow to have a major impact in England.

A recent draw against league leader Liverpool and victory against Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup did a lot to lift the mood around the club. But given shootouts are officially recorded as draws, it is only one win in eight games for United.

AFP