Here's under-pressure Amorim's cheeky retort after meeting with Man United hierarchy

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Under-pressure Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim joked that he was offered a new contract by Jim Ratcliffe when the club's co-owner held a meeting following the team's latest disappointing start to a season.

Ratcliffe, along with United CEO Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox, visited the training ground on Thursday and spoke to Amorim, who came under renewed fire after a 3-0 loss to Manchester City in a derby match.

“A new contract he was offering me,” Amorim said with a laugh, a nod to his uncomfortable current position.

“No, it's normal things," he continued, "just to show the support and explaining that it's a long project. He (Ratcliffe) said many times this is my first season. For me, it's not.”

Amorim said it was one of “several” scheduled meetings he has had with the club's hierarchy but understands the scrutiny he is under at the start of a campaign when United — on the back of a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season — has only won one of its first four league matches and was eliminated from the English League Cup by fourth-tier Grimsby Town.

“This is the club with (most) pressure, maybe in the world,” Amorim said.

United plays Chelsea on Saturday and Amorim said attackers Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount were available after missing the City game with injuries.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer