Manchester United's slow start to the season has increased the pressure on head coach Ruben Amorim, who has won only 25.8% of his Premier League games in charge.
The Reds have just two victories from their past 13 top-flight matches and produced another lacklustre display in Sunday's 3-0 loss to neighbours Manchester City.
Despite the growing external unease around Amorim, not helped by the derby defeat, senior officials remain fully supportive of the Portuguese.
And club sources insist that on most statistics United are performing better than last season despite sitting in 14th place, after their poorest start to a league campaign since 1992-93 with four points from the opening four games.