Man Utd squad changed minds on Ruben Amorim after he smashed TV in dressing room

Ruben Amorim smashed a television in the dressing room following Manchester United's woeful defeat to Brighton in January - but the furious outburst is understood to have actually worked in his favour. The Portuguese boss was only a few months into his tenure when matters began to deteriorate.

After a challenging December which saw United lose five fixtures, there was no improvement in January. Amorim's troubles worsened when Brighton claimed a 3-1 victory at Old Trafford, with former player Danny Welbeck scoring and Andre Onana producing another costly mistake. The Portuguese boss could not hide his fury as he unleashed a blistering dressing-down to his squad and went on to smash a TV as his anger reached boiling point following another embarrassing home defeat.

However his explosive reaction resonated with several United players. They fully understood how much he cared as he voiced his frustration at their situation, with some reportedly gaining increased respect for the former Sporting boss, according to the Telegraph.

It was on that Sunday afternoon that Amorim himself controversially suggested his side were "maybe the worst" in the club's 147-year history as they faced the prospect of a relegation battle. The United manager confessed: "In [the past] 10 games in Premier League, we won two.

"Imagine what this is for a fan of Manchester United. Imagine what this is for me. 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."

Amorim's frustration was palpable when his side faced Everton in February, just a month after the Brighton debacle. He was seething after the first half, which saw United trailing 2-0 at Goodison Park.

He made only a fleeting visit to the changing room before heading back out. Amorim spent most of the 15-minute interval pacing the corridor outside, eyes fixed on the floor.

It was left to Darren Fletcher, then first-team coach, to deliver some harsh truths to United's squad. They managed to rally and secure a 2-2 draw.