New Delhi: Manchester United have announced the appointment of Ruben Amorim as their new coach. The 39-year-old will succeed Erik ten Hag, who was terminated in the middle of the season following poor performance in both domestic and European competitions. While he won’t take charge of his first game as head coach till towards the end of the month, this appointment looks to be an interesting one for the club.
Currently, United are placed 14th and are being led by interim manager and club legend, Ruud van Nistelrooy. Amorim is expected to take over after the international break in November and will be in charge of the game against Ipswich Town on November 24, 2024. Currently he is in charge on Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon where he has won both the Portuguese League Cup and Liga Portugal, twice.
He is the sixth permanent manager to be appointed by the club since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson yet is looks to be the most exciting appointment of them all. So that begs the question, why is it an exciting move for the Manchester-based side?
Why is Ruben Amorim a good fit at Manchester United?
United for their liking would believe that they have secured someone who can bring them back from the slump. On paper, Amorim seems to fit the bill completely as he was the architect behind the Sporting Lisbon’s first league title in 19 years. In his four years at the helm of the club, Amorim has managed to reinforce the club’s image in the Portuguese football and helped in reclaiming their spot as the big three of the Portugal football clubs.
Domestic success aside, Amorim lead Sporting to the UEFA Champions League knockout stages for the first time in almost a decade. It is his footballing philosophy that might make the difference for United that sets him apart from his predecessors. During his tenure, Ten Hag was someone who faced some criticism for never having consistent tactical plans. Amorim on the other hand, has always shown a resolve while deploying his plans.
Ruben Amorim’s Sporting in the Primeira Liga this season:
• 9 matches
• 9 wins
• 30 goals scored
• 2 goals concededNext stop: @ManUtd. pic.twitter.com/UQvzlYXsuJ
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 1, 2024
In his first season at Sporting, Amorim’s team were playing a refined counter-attacking game, along with great defensive players including Joao Palhinha and Sebastian Coates. The teams’s amazing defensive foundation collaborated well with Amorim’s creative wing-backs in attack. This flexibility is what Man United are looking for currently. Amorim has shown that despite having a fixed philosophy, he isn’t afraid to tweak his tactics to get the job done, which is an important ability to have if one is managing a club as big as Manchester United.
Amorim adapted well when faced with major migration in the team after Mendes and Palhinha left the squad in 2022. The club had knocked out Arsenal during the Europa League and was scoring just like there was no change in their squad. What he will bring to the squad is commitment within players, a strong defensive unit and a mindset to play attacking football. It is a style that United were known for but have long forgotten since their days under Ferguson.
How does his style fit in at Manchester United?
Ruben Amorim belongs to the dying breed of managers that still play a back three formation at the top level. He plays a 3-4-3 formation, something which most Premier League managers don’t tend to use anymore and has achieved all his success with this formation. His 3-4-3 formation changes its shape to become more like a 3-4-2-1, with the wingers inverting inside and acting as inside forwards, with the wingbacks providing width on the wings.
While most managers in the league don’t prefer this formation and it seems to be one of the reasons Liverpool decided to go in favour of Arne Slot when replacing Jurgen Klopp, Amorim won’t have a lot of problems in trying to implement his style at Old Trafford. Manchester United haven’t played a back three since the days of Louis Van Gaal almost a decade ago, yet they seem to have players that are much more suited to Amorim’s system.
Could Rúben Amorim give Manchester United an identity? 🔴 pic.twitter.com/5hVCmZX2dz
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 29, 2024
With Harry Maguire, Mathias De Ligt and Lisandro Martinez all at the club, this trio could form a solid defensive line which can be difficult to break down. Maguire is a beast when playing in the middle of a back three and if he is partnered alongside Martinez and De Ligt, it can turn out to be a great move for all. The wingbacks at the club, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, both are capable of playing on either flanks and are great going forward.
Christian Eriksen, Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and even Bruno Fernandes can play as the midfield two, with both Eriksen and Fernandes suited well to playing as a deep-lying playmaker. This system can also get the best out of both Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford, if both are deployed as the inside forwards with Rasmus Hojlund leading the line, it can lead to Manchester United’s attack being lethal again.
