The Old Trafford side have made their poorest start to a league season since 1992-93 with four points from the opening four games.

United’s internal analysis concluded they would get greater improvement for their investment if they targeted the forward positions over the summer.

But despite spending £200m on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, so far they have only scored four Premier League goals – two of which were own goals.

Despite the growing external unease around Amorim, not helped by United’s 3-0 derby defeat by Manchester City on Sunday, senior officials remain fully supportive of the Portuguese.

As was the case after last month’s shock Carabao Cup exit at League Two Grimsby, they remain convinced Amorim is the right man to restore the club’s fortunes and prefer to look at the long-term picture rather than be swayed by current results.

But Scholes fears the issues are deep rooted and will not be easily solved.

“I don’t think the quality is there,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.

“Whatever two out of the four or five they have got in [midfield] – Casemiro, Bruno [Fernandes], [Kobbie] Mainoo – whatever combination he seems to try doesn’t seem to work.

“That’s a big issue. I thought all summer the absolute priority was a centre midfield player with legs, who can play and can control a game.

“Goalkeeper was [also] a major issue. Did they really need to get to the Grimsby game to realise [Andre] Onana is not good enough?

“If Manchester United were not in the market for Gianluigi Donnarumma when he became available, that is criminal offence.

“The recruitment side went to buy forwards. That did need addressing, but did it need three of them? I’m not sure it did.”

‘He cannot carry on playing this way’

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Ruben Amorim continues to be supported by Manchester United officials

Chelsea visit Old Trafford on Saturday. Then comes a trip to Brentford – where United have conceded four times on each of their past two visits – followed by encounters with Sunderland and then Liverpool at Anfield, making the chances of a significant upturn in fortunes in the short term unlikely.

Scholes is not alone in believing United have no chance of reversing their fortunes unless Amorim changes his style, with all-time leading scorer Wayne Rooney believing his old side have “got worse” under the Portuguese, who replaced the sacked Erik ten Hag last November.

“He cannot carry on playing this way, he just can’t,” said Scholes, who won 11 Premier League titles and the Champions League twice in a 20-year career with the club.

“At some point there has to be a moment where he thinks, ‘I have to change something because what I am doing now is not working and I am not getting results’. The proof is there.

“I like Amorim, with everything he says, he seems to be a likeable man. But unfortunately results paint a picture.

“At this moment in time it isn’t good enough. At this moment in time if results don’t improve, performances don’t really matter that much. He has to win some games or the pressure is going to come on him massively.”

Following last season’s struggles, where United finished 15th in the league and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham, Amorim worked hard in the summer trying to create a harmonious dressing room culture.

While there are some within the United squad who are thought to be uneasy about the 40-year-old’s refusal to change his tactics, there is no sign of widespread discontent as yet.

The optimism around Amorim is not confined to the Old Trafford boardroom.

Joao Noronha Lopes, favourite to win the Benfica presidential election on 25 October, is thought to be keen on bringing him back to the club where he made his name as a player, making 154 appearances across six seasons.

Lopes was at Etihad Stadium for Sunday’s derby, where he was accompanied by Pedro Ferreira and Nuno Gomes, the former Portugal and Benfica forward, who is one of Amorim’s closest friends.

Speaking to Portuguese media before the group left for Manchester, Gomes spoke about the prospect of hiring him.

“I can’t answer that question,” he said. “Ruben Amorim is the coach of Manchester United.

“But one thing I do know, Ruben Amorim will be the coach of Benfica one day.”

Despite having four points from their first two matches, The Three Lions have received criticism for their performances.

England started their campaign with a 1-0 win against Serbia before a dire 1-1 draw with Denmark left fans feeling uninspired both in Germany and at home.

They face Slovenia in their final group game and after calling Trent Alexander-Arnold’s role in midfield an “experiment”, Southgate is expected to make a change in that position.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Scholes said the young Manchester United star is the man for the job.

“Obviously, I said I’d like to see Mainoo come into the midfield,” Scholes said. “I think he is, along with Declan Rice, probably England’s best midfielder.

“To have a right back [Alexander-Arnold] playing in there in your position and you’ve gone as a central midfielder, that won’t be nice. It will be difficult to take.

“I see Kobbie Mainoo in this England squad, in this England team for the next 10 years at least.

“He’ll bring quality into that midfield area that we’ve really lacked. He knows the position, he’s played the position. He’ll help Declan Rice. He’ll help Jude Bellingham and he could possibly knit the whole thing together.”

Mainoo enjoyed a breakthrough season in an under-performing Manchester United squad and scored the decisive goal in their shock FA Cup final win against Manchester City.

Scholes thinks Mainoo’s inclusion will also help give Phil Foden the freedom to make an impact after his uncharacteristically lethargic performances so far.

“Phil Foden can pop up anywhere he wants on a football pitch and he’ll be a threat,” Scholes said. “Now, if Kobbie Mainoo came in, all of a sudden you have control. You have a player who makes your team play football. Sometimes it takes just one player to be able do that.

“You think of Toni Kroos with Germany, he just makes them play football. He makes Real Madrid play football. I think Rodri at Manchester City and Spain – he makes your team play football and I think Kobbie Mainoo has got that, the ability to do that.

“That, all of a sudden, it frees up the likes of Jude Bellingham, who’s not worried about having to come back all the time and try and help with the build-up because he’s brilliant going forward. Phil Foden exactly the same. I just think that one change could make a helluva difference to this team.”

Despite Scholes wanting Mainoo to replace Alexander-Arnold, the Liverpool man would not be ejected from the starting XI, if it was up to the former Manchester United midfielder.

“He’s not a midfield player,” Scholes said of Alexander-Arnold. “It was quite obvious before he went he’s not going to be a midfield player.

“I think, in a full-back role, at right-back, you get more time on the ball – there’s nobody around you, you don’t have to be aware of what’s around you, who’s going to tackle you. How much time have I got on the ball?”

With Alexander-Arnold unlikely to dislodge Kyle Walker at right-back, Scholes would push him to left-back, at the expense of Kieran Trippier.

“Trippier tries his best in that position, of course, but I just don’t see what he brings,” Scholes said.

“I saw it for years with Denis Irwin. Brilliant quality as a right-footed left-back. If we’re going to do that, it has to be someone who’s going to give you something on the ball and I think Trent is capable of doing that.”

Although Scholes does not think Southgate will make drastic changes for their next match, he hopes there will be one big addition.

He said: “I wouldn’t be that bothered as long as Mainoo’s the one that comes into midfield. I think he can change the whole outlook and perception of this team. I think he can be that good and devastating for him.”

Essien faced Scholes during his day at Olympique Lyon in a Champions League game before joining Chelsea in 2005.

The former Ghana midfielder played with some of the world’s best players during his time in Europe but says Scholes stands out as the best player he competed against.

“I have faced a lot of good players in my career. It’s difficult to tell. I face the likes of Xavi, [Andres] Iniesta and a lot…Steven Gerrard but I always say Paul Scholes is one of the players that was quite tough” he said in an interview with Goal.

Despite playing alongside some of the world’s talented players at Lyon, Chelsea, Real Madrid and AC Milan, Essien also settled on Frank Lampard as the best player he played with.

“Everybody is my teammate. I love all my teammates. It’s hard to choose but I would go for Frank Lampard. Being a midfielder that scores a lot of goals. To keep doing it every season is quite amazing. People know my connection with Jose Mourinho so yeah [he’s the best manager I have had]” he added.

Michael Essien is currently part of the technical team at Danish side FC Nordsjaelland.

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The Sun newspaper reported a party was held at his Oldham home for his son’s birthday on Friday evening, the day new rules kicked in in Greater Manchester.

The restrictions ban social gatherings in people’s homes and gardens.

Scholes, 45, has not commented on the report.

It comes as authorities in Greater Manchester declared a major incident following recent rises in coronavirus infection rates.

Figures released on Sunday showed the seven-day rate of new coronavirus cases in Oldham had jumped from 41.6 to 62.8 per 100,000 people, with 148 new cases – the second highest rate in England.

In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: “On Sunday we were made aware of allegations of an earlier breach of Covid-19 restrictions at a residential property in the Oldham area.

“In line with normal procedure and policing by consent, officers attended and engaged with an individual explaining the restrictions and encouraging them to be compliant.”

Midfielder Scholes won a string of trophies in a glittering career with United and earned 66 caps for England.

He is now co-owner of League Two side Salford City.