Ruben Amorim might have to change his Manchester United priority this week

Identity was the buzzword of Ruben Amorim's first interview as Manchester United head coach, conducted on the Old Trafford touchline.

From the Old Trafford touchline, however, Amorim has so far not seen much of the identity he craved. Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion was another stark reminder of the sheer size of the challenge he and his coaching staff are facing.

For all of the positivity that was generated on the back of their impressive away performances against Liverpool and Arsenal, their back-to-back home games against Brighton and Southampton, despite United beating the latter, have put into context just how big a mess the Reds currently find themselves in.

Four defeats in six have dented any hopes United had of resurrecting a push for European qualification under Amorim. United are currently 13th in the standings, 12 points shy of the top four and 11 points behind Chelsea in sixth.

If United, who are continuing to battle against the constraints of the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules [PSR], are going to rebuild Amorim's squad this summer with a sense of aggression, they will need to have as big a budget available to them as possible, with the Champions League offering the best revenue stream.

United have an alternative route back into Europe's premier club competition via the Europa League. Currently seventh in the league phase standings, United are on course to qualify for the last-16. However, with two games still to play, nothing can be guaranteed.

Facing Rangers at Old Trafford on Thursday night and then Romanian side FCSB in Bucharest the following week, United's Europa League fate is in their own hands. Two negative results could see them head into the lottery of the play-off