Sir Alex Ferguson makes feelings clear with two-word message to Ruben Amorim ahead of Man Utd's damaging defeat to Brighton

Ruben Amorim has disclosed what Sir Alex Ferguson said to him on the Old Trafford pitch ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash between Manchester United and Brighton.

Since the departure of Erik ten Hag in November, United have picked up 11 points in 11 games under Ruben Amorim, who described his team as "maybe the worst’"in the club’s 147-year history following Sunday's defeat to Brighton.

It was a bold claim from the Portuguese head coach but after goals from Yankuba Minteh, Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter handed Brighton a 3-1 victory, Amorim delivered a frank assessment of their current situation.

"In [the past] 10 games in Premier League, we won two," he said on Sunday. "Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me."

He added: "We are getting a new coach who is losing more than the last coach. I have full knowledge of that.

"We are the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United. I know you [media] want headlines but I am saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go: your headlines."

As well as discussing what happened in Sunday's game, Amorim gave a brief, but telling insight into his lengthy pre-match chat with former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson was leaving the pitch after taking part in the pre-match tribute to Denis Law – who sadly passed away last week – when he bumped into Amorim.

The Portuguese head coach didn't exactly go into detail about the conversation but in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, he did say that Ferguson had told him to "keep positive" after a tough start to life in the Old Trafford hot seat.

Amorim speaks to Ferguson ahead of Sunday's clash against Brighton. Image credit: Getty

Amorim, meanwhile, will persist with the 3-4-3 formation that brought him so much success at Sporting.

"I knew that was going to be hard to put a completely new idea in the moment, but when you lose games and don't win three games in a row it becomes really hard," he said.

"Everybody here is underperforming and we have to accept that. It is unacceptable to lose so many games. The opponents are better than us in many details.

"We cannot be consistent and I'm not helping my players in the moment. You have to acknowledge we are in a very difficult situation, with all the bad records, as losing games at home, losing games in the Premier League.

"I know we can succeed but I am not naive. We need to survive this moment. But I am not going to change, no matter what."