Ruben Amorim explains Man Utd U-turn he said would be ‘the end for a manager’
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Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has spoken about his decision to swap to a back four from his favoured wing-back system against Newcastle United in the Premier League
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim could keep faith with his back four even when his stars return from injury and the Africa Cup of Nations. The United boss has insisted he will not immediately swap to a back three after switching shape for the first time as head coach in the Boxing Day win against Newcastle.
Amorim showed flexibility in his methods for the first time in his 14 months in charge at Old Trafford. The Portuguese coach has claimed that United’s new formation could stick around in the coming weeks.
The Red Devils adjusted their shape with Noussair Mazraoui, Amad and Bryan Mbeumo all absent through international duty, and Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes all on the injury list. But Amorim has suggested he had always planned to evolve during his time in the Red Devils’ hotseat.
The 40-year-old only avoided doing so earlier so that it would not give the impression he had caved to media pressure. Amorim has played the 3-4-2-1 shape, which he had success with at Sporting CP, almost exclusively at United, and felt it was important to use embed in his principles using that system.
“First of all, it’s a process,” said Amorim. “When I came here last season, I understood that maybe I don’t have the players to play well in that system, but it was the beginning of the process. We are trying to build an identity.
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“Today is a different moment. We don’t have a lot of players and we need to adapt, but they already know and understand why we are changing. It is not because of the pressure of you guys [in the media], or of the fans, it’s because now we understand the way we want to play and the principles are the same.”
Amorim has been adamant that his principles of play will remain the same regardless of the shape of his side. But, having finally moved away from utilising wing-backs, a back four might be seen more often as his tenure enters its next phase.
Such flexibility should offer opponents more headaches with Newcastle already being forced into off-the-cuff changes at Old Trafford.
“We can change the system and I think we are going to become a better team because when all the players return, we are not going to play all the time with three defenders. We are going to improve,” he said.
“But that was something that I was talking about. But when you talk about changing the system all the time, I cannot change because the players will understand that I’m changing because of you [the media], and, I think, that is the end for the manager.
“So, when we are playing well in our system, that is the moment to change if it’s the better thing to win the game.”
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