Liverpool could force Man Utd into huge decision as £66m reality clear amid Ruben Amorim deadline

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Arne Slot’s side lost three successive matches under the Dutchman for the first time prior to the October international break.But they return to Anfield on Sunday as club football resumes, and will be looking to keep the pace at the top of the Premier League table.The reigning champions surrendered top spot to Arsenal during the last round of fixtures as a last-minute defeat at Chelsea left them unable to leapfrog the Gunners back into first place.READ MORE: David Beckham signs another former Liverpool star in shock move outside of transfer windowHaving also fallen to a stoppage-time defeat away at Crystal Palace the weekend before, it means United are the ‘in-form’ side coming into Sunday’s fixture - despite the Red Devils currently trailing their bitter-rivals by five points.United have endured an inconsistent campaign to date, winning only three of their seven Premier League matches and suffering an embarrassing League Cup second round exit at the hands of League Two Grimsby Town.The pressure was eased on Amorim, who was heavily linked with the Liverpool job prior to the appointment of Arne Slot, after a 2-0 at home to Sunderland in his side's last match prior to the international break, having seen the Portuguese admit that he was running out of time to save his job if results didn’t improve prior to the game.But while they have won their last three matches at Old Trafford, also defeating Chelsea and Burnley, they are yet to win on their travels. United suffered heavy defeats on the road to Brentford and Man City last month, with a 1-1 draw at Fulham the only thing they have to show from their travels so far this season.Amorim has found himself under increasing pressure as a result, though his club's co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffle recently insisted the Portuguese’s job was safe.“It’s not going to happen,” he told The Business podcast, produced by The Times and The Sunday Times, when asked what would happen if the Glazer family, the club’s majority shareholders, told him to sack Amorim.“He has not had the best of seasons.

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Learn moreFanatics has slashed the price of Liverpool kits and merch with more than 50% off select items.Despite Ratcliffe’s backing of the Portuguese, how United fare at Anfield on Sunday will go some way to deciding just how much scrutiny Amorim will face heading into the next run of Premier League fixtures.With the Red Devils already eliminated from the League Cup, and having failed to qualify for Europe, they are limited to just their Premier League exploits prior to their entry into the FA Cup third round in January.Following a trip to Anfield, they host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, October 25, with back-to-back trips to Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur then following on Saturday, November 1 and Saturday, November 8.United only appointed Amorim as their new head coach on November 1 last year, with the Portuguese not officially starting in the role until November 11, after activating a £9.25m release clause in his Sporting CP contract.Should the Red Devils wish to part company with the 40-year-old within the first year of his contract, the Daily Mail reports that it would cost them an eye-watering £12m in compensation.Amorim’s staff would also be entitled to a pay-off if dismissed, on top of the £12m he is contractually due.United have already spent over £54m in compensation when moving on their previous five managers and backroom teams following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 - David Moyes (£5.2m), Louis van Gaal (£8.4m), Jose Mourinho (£19.6m), Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (£10.5m) and Erik ten Hag (£10.4m).Liverpool were, in part, responsible for Mourinho's costly dismissal back in December 2018. Xherdan Shaqiri scored a brace off the bench at Anfield as Jurgen Klopp's side ran out 3-1 winners, with the loss ultimately resulting in the Portuguese losing his job two days later.Only time will tell if history might repeat itself, but it would admittedly perhaps be a surprise for United to axe their current head coach prior to his first anniversary with the club at least.But Liverpool could still put their bitter-rivals in an awkward position if they are able to return to winning ways at Anfield on Sunday and increase the pressure on Amorim even further in the process.