Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim “needs to change something to get the confidence back into the players,” says former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker.

“I personally think Amorim’s had enough time to look at the players,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “We have seen enough now to know that these guys are not able to play the system that he wants. So what the best managers do, is they adapt. You have to adapt.

“One thing that’s always guaranteed in life is change, and Amorim has to change. For me, I see the naivety in underestimating how competitive the Premier League is. Every game is a tough test.

“Their next three games are Liverpool, Arsenal in the cup and Southampton – which is a six-pointer now. A draw is not good enough for United. If they draw against Southampton, they’re in a relegation battle.

“Amorim needs to make the change, not just for his job security but for the confidence of the players.”

Following the heavy defeat to Newcastle, in which Bruno Fernandes was suspended, United’s midfielders have come under scrutiny as Amorim opted to start Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

“Regardless of who Amorim pairs in midfield, they don’t have that balance and they don’t have that quality,” added Reo-Coker. “Amorim has to take a lot of the responsibility for the starting line-up he put out.

“I look at this philosophy of what he’s trying to implement, and I look at this back three – how does the Newcastle player get into the box with a back three, unmarked? That for me just shows that this philosophy isn’t going to work, and the players are definitely losing confidence.

“If the players are not buying into the system and they’re losing games, it becomes a very lonely road, and you start going down that slippery slope with the players losing their confidence. He needs to change something to get the confidence back into the players. That’s the most important thing.”