He may only have been in charge of six competitive Manchester United fixtures, but tomorrow night's League Cup tie against rivals Liverpool already carries a strong must-win feeling for David Moyes.
Sunday's 4-1 defeat to neighbours Manchester City, accompanied by a 1-0 loss at Anfield and unimaginative 0-0 draw with Chelsea has led some pundits and supporters to question whether Moyes has the necessary nous to follow in the footsteps of fellow Scot Sir Alex Ferguson.
The heavy loss at the Etihad Stadium was followed by strong criticism of Moyes's team selection, with very few of the starting lineup receiving higher than half marks in Monday morning's newspaper ratings.
The United boss has been encouraged to make alterations ahead of Liverpool's visit to Old Trafford and so, with that in mind, Sports Mole has highlighted a number of changes that he may consider implementing.
1. Fabio da Silva to right-back
Pablo Zabaleta aside, there are not many better right-backs in the Premier League than Rafael da Silva. The Brazilian suffered a hamstring injury during the Community Shield last month, though, and is not expected to have recovered by tomorrow.
In his absence, Moyes has used Fabio da Silva, Phil Jones (now injured) and Chris Smalling in that position. While the latter pairing of the trio are able defenders on their day, they do not possess the flair in attack that is provided by Rafael or his brother Fabio.
The less experienced twin may not have developed at the same rate as his sibling (not helped by a wasted season on loan at Queens Park Rangers), but he showed against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League recently that he harbours the same tenacious attitude as his brother.
© Getty Images
2. Give Jonny Evans a run out
The Northern Ireland international has had his critics ever since he broke into the United senior squad, but last term he really came of age. His performance in the Bernabeu, where the Red Devils were placed under large amounts of pressure by Real Madrid, was a particular highlight.
Injury and a lack of match practice has seen Evans fail to feature for United this season, but after some lacklustre defensive work from his teammates at the weekend, it is perhaps the right time to give the 25-year-old his chance.
Evans may not be the most comfortable of defenders in possession of the ball, but he is a solid performer who rarely makes a mistake. It's a characteristic that was severely lacking from Sunday's display.
© Getty Images
3. Time for Shinji Kagawa, Nani
Kagawa's continued presence among the substitutes, or worse still sat in the stands, has been a source of much head scratching. By his own admission, the Japanese international was not at his best during his debut campaign in a red shirt, but he remains one of the club's most creative players.
His inclusion in a four-man midfield would likely relegate him to a left-sided role, but just as he does with Japan, it does not have to be a permanent 90-minute position. Kagawa is a player that thrives with freedom, so although he starts on the left, he can move around the pitch - just as he did when he scored a hat-trick against Norwich City in March. It was during the aforementioned match that he and Wayne Rooney also showed signs that there is a potential profitable relationship to be forged between the two.
Much of the above can be said about Nani. The Portuguese winger can be frustrating, but statistics don't lie. Between 2010 and 2012, he scored 17 goals and made 24 assists in the Premier League. Injuries of late haven't helped his cause, but having now returned to fitness, the 26-year-old looks to be a better bet than either Ashley Young or Antonio Valencia.
Last year, that duo managed a stingy eight assists and just the one goal from a combined 41 appearances. What's more, they've shown little sign of improvement this time around, with Young in particular receiving plenty of scorn.
© Getty Images
4. Proven goalscorer
With Robin van Persie injured, the job of spearheading United's attack at the Etihad Stadium went to Danny Welbeck - a player that has scored just three Premier League goals in his last 31 outings.
While there can be no doubting the England international's ability as an all-round footballer, his desperate lack of a clinical touch in the areas that really matter to a frontman should result in a fresh approach next time out.
That is where Mexican Javier Hernandez comes into the equation. His passing ability and first touch may leave a little to be desired at times, but the 25-year-old is one of the most lethal centre-forwards based in European football.
Of the 50 goals that he has scored for United to date, not one has been scored from outside of the penalty box. What's more, his tendency to play on the last defender often opens up space for the likes of Rooney, Kagawa and Nani to exploit.
© Getty Images
Sport Mole's suggested Man United XI vs. Liverpool: De Gea; Fabio, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra; Kagawa, Carrick, Cleverley, Nani; Rooney; Hernandez
Liam Apicella
