Ruben Amorim has tried pretty much everything to shock his Manchester United players into action. He tried to talk them into a relegation battle, laying bare the fears of a fight against the drop, and when that didn't work, he told them they might well be the worst team in the club's 147-year history.

Amorim's highly charged comment after Saturday's defeat to Brighton can be considered a bid to elicit some shock therapy from this club. He has already spoken openly about trying to raise standards at United.

"I'm trying that every day. I'm trying to push this team every day," he said.

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"Sometimes maybe it's not the best way, because I'm always challenging these players in everything I do, because I feel that we are not just the players, but everybody in Manchester [United] are too comfortable. "So I think we need sometimes a shock."

The players are certainly getting a shock. Those relegation fears have eased with the point at Anfield and a crucial win against Southampton, but the performance against Brighton was alarming for Amorim.

His post-match comment certainly felt shocking, but he seemed to know what he was doing.

"We are being the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United," he said. "I know that you want headlines, but I'm saying that because we have to acknowledge that and to change that. Here you go, your headlines."

Framing his comment around headlines and offering this assessment unprompted suggests he wanted to use a similar line. Reports that he was so angry in the dressing room that he broke a TV add to the theory that this is about getting a reaction.

It's unusual for Amorim to get so heated post-match. His previous routine has been to say almost nothing in the dressing room after a game, preferring to leave the debrief for when he has had a chance to watch the game back and the emotions have disappeared.

On Sunday, he either couldn't control himself or wanted his players to see him angry. It might have been an explosion of the anger that had been building up for him, but it could also have been a deliberate change of approach. That is the kind of thing that will grab the attention of the players, as is telling them are the worst team in United's history.

One thing is for sure: a response is needed quickly. Amorim is clearly here to stay. He has the backing of Ineos, and they are beginning to target players for his 3-4-2-1 system while considering offers for those who don't fit, such as Alejandro Garnacho. For the rest of the squad, that means they have to fit in and step up, or they could be on their way out.

Amorim doesn't have many more avenues left to try and shock his players, but as the end of this season approaches, his final card to play could well be to drop some of those players he has already written off, and that is clearly the case with some. For now, United still have targets to play for, the FA Cup and Europa League remain in play and they will want to improve in the Premier League.

But if results don't improve, Amorim could turn away from some of the more established first-teamers and promote from the academy. Some of those youngsters have a future at Old Trafford, while some players in the first-team at the moment do not. That would be the ultimate shock to those left on the outside looking in.