Amorim needs to deliver - Stone on 'fascinating' news conference

That was a fascinating Ruben Amorim news conference.

He made it clear what he sees as improvements are being made to ensure next season is far better than this one, said no manager can expect the three and a half years Sir Alex Ferguson got to deliver success to Old Trafford, and refused to talk about a long-term plan, stating firmly on a couple of occasions he simply would not do it.

To me, that basically said if Manchester United are not significantly better next season than this - and I don't think he was saying 10th is better than 13th - he expects to be in massive trouble.

That is a fair call. It is also a big task.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea are certainly not going away. But Newcastle and Aston Villa are progressing and will spend - if they can - in the summer. And that is without talking about Nottingham Forest, Brighton and the other sides who have been too good for United this season.

United might win the derby at Old Trafford, or they might not. But there is a bigger picture. And Amorim knows what it is.