Sir Jim Ratcliffe's behaviour during his tell-all interview with Gary Neville ought to give Ruben Amorim the jitters. That's according to body language expert Judi James, who says the Manchester United co-owner doesn't appear particularly confident in Amorim and seems uncertain that progress has been made since he replaced Erik ten Hag in November - despite his claims to the contrary. During the tense chat , Ratcliffe painted a fraught picture, insisting United would have gone "bust by Christmas " if it weren't for his ruthless cost-cutting measures. He also made it clear that he doesn't believe United's current squad is good enough, emphasising that major changes are needed for the club to re-establish themselves as a genuinely top side. However, according to Judi, the 70-year-old appeared more confident in addressing United's financial challenges than solving their on-field struggles. She also noticed several verbal contradictions Ratcliffe made while discussing Amorim, as well as an eye-opening suggestion that the decision to hire the Portuguese coach wasn't his. "When Ratcliffe is asked about players etc his delivery is less specific and clear," she said speaking exclusively to MEN . "His hands mime his claims of 'progress' under Ruben with a dramatic upward sweep one minute, but the next he is far less assured, saying 'I think we've made progress' and using a far more subdued hand gesture. "He says 'I really like Ruben' before making a long list of excuses for him. Asked who appointed Ruben he does a long pause and repeats the question in what is usually a sign of stalling for time. This style of subject sees his hands performing weaving or knitting rituals in the air to suggest the confusing complexities of the problems involved." Amorim has endured a dismal start to life at Old Trafford , winning just 10 of his first 26 games in charge. As a result, the Red Devils are 14th in the Premier League and staring down the barrel of their worst domestic finish to a season in half a decade. But taking Ratcliffe's words - rather than his body language - into account, Amorim's job appears safe, for now at least. "I think Ruben is an outstanding young manager. I really do," the INEOS chief said. "He's an excellent manager and I think he will be [United manager] for a long time. "You are beginning to see a glimpse of what Ruben can produce. Ruben is doing a super job... He is, as most great coaches are, an emotional character. Ruben is not perfect but I am a great supporter of Ruben." Ratcliffe's minority stake in United was confirmed in February 2024 and he currently owns a 28.94 per cent share in the club, with the Glazer family maintaining a controlling stake. Judi observed that he was visibly uncomfortable when discussing the American tycoons, who have been in charge since 2005. "[The] most dramatic body language feature is his apparent utter discomfort when the Glazer family are mentioned," Judi noted. "Ratcliffe squirms in his seat here before folding his arms in a barrier ritual. He rubs his nose and sniffs and rubs his neck in a gesture of anxiety. "He scratches his mouth, sighs and rubs his chin and appears to perform some verbal swerves at this point, throwing out workplace clichés like 'Human beings don't like change' which is not only a cliché but also untrue. Humans love change when they feel they have some form of control of agreement over it." That said, Judi credited Ratcliffe's "charisma", and insisted that his love for his boyhood club appeared "authentic". She said: "When asked why he is putting himself through all the recent pain and criticism his demeanour changes to one of a childhood fan. His eyes look almost tearful and his speech speeds as his energy is restored."