Ruben Amorim is all-in with the Europa League now and he needs his Man United players to stand up and be counted, writes CHRIS WHEELER

Ten minutes before full-time and with their team well beaten, Manchester United’s fans high up in the Leazes End at St James’ Park launched into their tribute song for Ruben Amorim and didn’t stop until the final whistle.

If you haven’t heard it before, it’s sung to the tune of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘It’s a Heartache’. How appropriate. Amorim has endured plenty of that since abandoning a perfectly good job at Sporting Lisbon for the madness of Old Trafford in November. Eleven of his 32 games have ended in defeat, a record that would read a whole lot worse were it not for the Europa League.

United’s 4-1 humbling at the hands of Newcastle was a record-equalling 14th Premier League defeat of the season, confirming that the biggest club in English football will finish with their lowest points total in the history of a competition they have won 13 times.

Afterwards, Amorim wore the frown of a gambler who knows he is in possession of a losing hand and is just trying to blag his way through to the end of the game.

‘Bluffers’ is what Roy Keane labelled United’s players on Sunday, but in reality it’s Amorim who was desperately trying to shuffle his cards wishing he had a couple more aces.

‘Ruben Amorim is scratching his head,’ said Keane on Sky Sports. ‘I bet he cannot believe how bad this Man United team is.

Ruben Amorim has faced much heartache since being appointed as Man United boss

There was further frustration for Amorim as his team were beaten 4-1 by Newcastle

Altay Bayindir started in goal but certainly didn't make the most of his opportunity

‘I think the Premier League has caught this manager and his coaching staff out. I know people do their homework, but I think he has gone in there and I think he has been shocked about how bad this group of players are.’

Amorim made five changes from the team that drew 2-2 with Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final first leg in France last week with one eye on Thursday’s return at Old Trafford. He gave Premier League debuts to Altay Bayindir and Harry Amass and starts to Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof who will say farewell to United this summer.

Avoiding injuries was a big consideration and when Joshua Zirkzee was helped off in the 55th minute with a hamstring injury that will surely end his season, it wasn’t just Rasmus Hojlund who came on, but Mason Mount and Luke Shaw too as they replaced Amass and Alejandro Garnacho.

Was Amorim protecting his players even though United lost momentum and quickly went 3-1 behind? ‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘I was waiting for 60 minutes, more or less, but then with one stop I was getting a little bit, not afraid, but to try to avoid more problems.’

First-choice Andre Onana was already sat at home watching this game on television to give the goalkeeper a chance to clear his head after a difficult night in Lyon where he was responsible for both goals United conceded.

Given a rare opportunity, it’s fair to say Bayindir hardly grabbed it with both hands. He let in four goals for the second time this season, and even though the first three weren’t his fault, the fourth certainly was. A poor kick out was intercepted by Joelinton, allowing Harvey Barnes to score his second of the match and compound United’s misery.

Good distribution from the back is important to Amorim’s system and Bayindir failed to complete 30 of his 57 attempted passes. It would be a surprise if Onana wasn’t reinstated for the second leg, although that will also carry an element of risk judging by events at the Groupama Stadium on Thursday night.

To return to the gambling theme, Amorim is all-in with the Europa League now. Double or nothing. The last chance in this most wretched of seasons for redemption and respectability. A trophy and a return to the Champions League elite next season. More money in the transfer kitty and more kudos to offer potential targets this summer.

It is expected that Andre Onana will return to the United starting lineup against Lyon

Amorim is eager for his United players to move on quickly and focus on the task against Lyon

The United boss admitted as much as he tried to move on from the latest debacle on Tyneside as quickly as possible. ‘In this moment it is really hard to have any good feeling about this game,’ he said. ‘The best thing is to focus on the next one. We cannot change this one and the next one is massive for us.

‘So we need to improve in a lot of things and our position is a reflection of our performances this season. All the mistakes that we did today we cannot do on Thursday.’

Amorim needs a big performance from his players. He needs them to stand up and be counted. Enough of the heartache. He’s holding out for a hero, as Bonnie Tyler would say.