Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has launched a scathing attack on Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, branding the Portuguese manager as 'barely competent' at top-flight level. The remarks follow Amorim's incendiary post-match press conference after the 1-1 draw with Leeds.

Amorim declared he wanted to be the manager of the club, not just a head coach, seeking authority over all departments, including recruitment. He subsequently mentioned Gary Neville by name and urged sporting director Jason Wilcox to fulfil his responsibilities, whilst Amorim concentrated on his own.

Yet that has not sat well with Carragher, who has slammed the United boss for his unwillingness to alter his tactical approach and dismissed suggestions that Amorim had been unsupported.

"It can only be two things - it can either be about the January transfer market and feeling that he's not being backed, or the people above him are questioning the fact that, at this moment, he's been flip-flopping between systems," the Liverpool icon said on Sky Sports.

"It started to look like maybe he was getting somewhere moving to a back four, he went back to five at the back against Wolves and it brought possibly one of the worst performances of the season from a team. No matter what it is, I don't think he is in any position whatsoever to be questioning the people who appointed him.

"He's not good enough. He's not good enough to be Manchester United's manager. He's barely competent enough to be a Premier League manager right now. That's not me being disrespectful to Amorim."

"He's been there well over 12 months now and I think almost all managers in the Premier League who are managing different clubs at different ends of the table would look at Manchester United and think 'I'd get more points than that.' This is a guy who said at one stage this is possibly the worst Manchester United team in history. He's managing it."

When asked about suggestions that Amorim had not received adequate support, Carragher responded: "He's been more than backed. He couldn't have had too many complaints if the club parted company with him in the summer, with how poor it was last season.

"They then went into the market and spent a lot of money. I'm sure he was heavily involved in that. He's playing a system that is not in the traditions of Man United, so there was no way they could go out and recruit all the attacking players, and the wing backs and perhaps the centre backs.

"It was going to be a long-term plan in terms of windows. He can't be complaining now about the funds in January. Manchester United spent a huge amount in the summer. Don't forget, they had no Champions League football, no European football and a lot of that was down to him.

"Let's not forget, when he was brought in, the objective was to return them to Champions League football. They were four points off the Champions League when he arrived. They ended up 15th. So when you mention the lack of funds, that was down to him and the team, and there's no way he's going to get everything he wants in one window."

He continued: "Of course they need better players but it can't happen in one window. He - or the club - chose to go with attacking players, they could have perhaps opted for one midfielder, one attacking player, one wing-back but they didn't and maybe they'll arrive in future windows.

"But the individuals he appears to be criticising - (chief executive) Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox - they're the ones who recruited him and were likely the ones battling in the summer to keep him employed. I'm certain Jim Ratcliffe is observing the situation and thinking you've hired a guy, he doesn't play the way Manchester United have in the past and the results are dreadful."

Carragher likened Amorim's remarks to Enzo Maresca's recent tirade at Chelsea and subsequent exit from Stamford Bridge. He stated: "This could end very quickly. But Maresca was in a much stronger position to challenge his board and the owner than Amorim.

"He won the Club World Cup. He guided the team into the Champions League. He accomplished everything he was tasked to do last season. I still didn't think it was acceptable to challenge the people above him.

"Amorim is in no position whatsoever to speak like that. As I said, he's a barely competent Premier League manager so far on what he has shown."