A hell of a lot has to fall in place for before the end of May if is to end his first season as the club's head coach with even the slightest hint of positivity. The Red Devils still have the opportunity to salvage something from a horror campaign, just as they did with last year's final victory against .

However, good decisions and a bit of fortune will go a long way in ensuring that Amorim and his squad don't head into the summer on a whimper. There is little to play for in the Premier League, with United slumped in 13th with nine fixtures left, most of them unfavourable. Express Sport picks out three outcomes that the Old Trafford giants must avoid in the three months so that a bad campaign doesn't become worse.

And on that note, one of the worst things United's new-look hierarchy could do is sanction Paul Pogba's shock return to M16.

The 32-year-old midfielder is a free agent after completing his 18-month doping ban earlier in March, and he has unsurprisingly been linked with his former club.

However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, his football leadership team and Amorim have made it abundantly clear that United must focus on lowering the average age of the squad and the wage bill.

Pogba's third spell at the club would be detrimental to both ambitions and make no sense whatsoever.

It's Europa League or bust for Amorim. Glory in Bilbao on May 21 represents United's final shot at silverware this season and European football in the next.

If the Red Devils can maintain their unbeaten record after 12 matches and lift the trophy, they will book a ticket for the 2025/26 Champions League.

Amorim's side finished third in the league phase, winning all four games under his watch, and thumped Real Sociedad 5-2 on aggregate in the round of 16.

A quarter-final clash against Lyon awaits in April, with Athletic Club, Lazio, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers among the other top contenders potentially standing in United's way down the line.

There are positives to be had from receiving a £5million fee from a loan deal, during which half a player's wages were covered.

But it's no secret that United would be far better off if Chelsea stayed true to their agreement and paid £25m to sign Jadon Sancho permanently in the summer.

Amorim needs the funds to revamp his squad and could generate at least £80m from offloading Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Antony.

If the 24-year-old does return to Old Trafford, he would be destined to leave for elsewhere regardless. But United can't afford to waste time trying to find his next destination with so much else to cover.