'Man United or Spurs?' - Damning verdict sees Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards agree

Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards all agree that Tottenham are closer to being on the right path than Manchester United, which speaks volumes about the huge challenge Ruben Amorim faces.

Both teams have suffered torrid Premier League campaigns this season. United currently sit in 13th place on just 26 points, with Amorim brutally admitting after their 3-1 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday that his side could well be the "worst" in the club’s long history.

Tottenham have fared even worse in Ange Postecoglou’s second season at the helm, currently down in 15th place with 24 points despite finishing fifth last term. The Australian has suffered two Premier League defeats on the bounce, taking their total losses to 12.

But despite the dire circumstances both managers find themselves in, Match of the Day host Lineker - as well as pundits Shearer and Richards - still gave Tottenham the edge when asked which club is closer to moving in the right direction, even with all the animosity towards Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

Former Spurs striker Lineker said on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast: "I think if you had everyone fit then Tottenham are in a better place than Manchester United. I think if I look at the overall squad then they've probably got a little bit more than United."

He went on to say: "United need to do more in the transfer market. Obviously both of them are in a bit of a rut at the present," before Shearer chimed in with: "I wouldn't disagree with that. If they ever get their players back to fitness, they're slightly better than Manchester United's first XI." Former Manchester City defender Richards was also in agreement.

Along with pointing out how worrying the situation currently is at United to be worse off than a 15th-placed outfit, their comments are also a scathing criticism of the Red Devils' recruitment strategy. United spent around £200million on five fresh faces last summer but have found themselves worse off than last season, which was the worst in the club’s Premier League history.

The dreadful run of form under Amorim, who has endured seven defeats since his appointment in November, can be largely attributed to the fact that the existing squad doesn't consist of any of his own recruits, meaning several players are unable to execute his tactics. Should the United hierarchy show patience with Amorim, it could take several transfer windows before they are able to see clear signs of progress.

A report from The Athletic revealed that, in the aftermath of Sunday's loss, Amorim scolded his players. His frustrations boiled over as he 'fiercely voiced' his anger at his team and showed his frustrations physically towards a TV used to go through tactics.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, has had four transfer windows to build his squad, yet faces a huge challenge with 11 key players currently ruled out with injuries. The head coach has cut a despondent figure all season and reflected on their situation after the recent 2-1 defeat in the north London derby by saying: "It's how things are going at the moment. We were nowhere near where we want to be."

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