Paul Merson identifies one issue Ruben Amorim must solve at Man United and drops major prediction

Paul Merson has backed Ruben Amorim to succeed at Manchester United despite acknowledging the huge task ahead of the incoming head coach.

Amorim, 39, starts work during the November international break with predictions that United will finish in a record-low position in the Premier League for the second-straight season. He will have 27 league matches to stop that from happening, starting against former United coach Kieran McKenna's Ipswich Town team later this month.

Sporting, though, was in a similarly desperate position when Amorim arrived. They were fourth in the table behind Benfica, Porto and even Braga, the team he left mid-season to move back to Lisbon.

READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe has already explained why United didn't appoint Amorim in the summer

READ MORE: Viktor Gyokeres responds to United transfer question after Amorim announcement

Four years on, they are the reigning champions, having previously ended their 19-year wait for a title, and are on course to make it three wins in five years. Merson believes that is evidence enough that Amorim is the right man to turn United's fortunes around - if he can solve the club's issues at the back.

"There's a lot of work to be done here," Merson acknowledged on Sky Sports's Soccer Saturday. "A lot of managers come into clubs, and you go, 'ticks the box, he's got everything there already.'

"He hasn't. He's got nothing. They play a high line, they got no pace really at Man United, the pitch is big.

"He'd want so much different to what Man United are now; it's like chalk and cheese. It will take time [but] I think he'll get it right."

Merson explained: "He hasn't got lucky doing what he's done to break up the Porto/Benfica situation. He's gone and he's destroyed them