Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro has admitted having sympathy with Manchester United because of the potential that exists in the squad, only to see things “always go wrong”.

United have sacked five managers in just under 11 years, each tending to start reasonably well before old patterns emerge and underachievement sets in. Current head coach Ruben Amorim hasn’t even enjoyed that initial spike, with his new manager bounce peaking with a 4-0 thrashing of a dire Everton at the start of December in just his third game in the job.

Struggling to implement his very specific tactical ideas on a squad of players built for a different coach (or several coaches), as well as battling budgetary constraints that are the result of years of financial mismanagement and a parasitic ownership model, Amorim has now also been hit by an injury crisis. Just 18 players have travelled to Spain for Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Real Sociedad.

“They have players with huge potential but they don’t seem to quite find the solution to be the team they once were, to be higher up,” Remiro told The Guardian as he prepares to face a blunted United.

“Maybe they need a run of five, six, seven games winning, but something always happens. I like the new coach, I like his ideas – I liked Erik ten Hag too – but it feels like something always goes wrong.”

United sit 14th in the Premier League table at this late stage of the season, staring down the barrel of their lowest finish since relegation from the top flight in 1974. They were knocked out of the FA Cup at the weekend, ending their defence of the trophy, and now face the Europa League being both their only chance of silverware and their only realistic opportunity to qualify for Europe in 2025/26.

The loss of regular Champions League income, qualifying only twice since 2021 and failing to go beyond the quarter-finals since 2011, has had a detrimental impact on club finances.

Even in trying to combat the current financial situation, United’s level has fallen so far from what it previously what that the club aren’t banking on Champions League revenue coming in for the next few years, instead planning budgets with Europa League income for the foreseeable future.