Rene Meulensteen, who worked under Sir Alex Ferguson, has explains Rúben Amorim’s big mistake from when he first joined Manchester United.
Manchester United have struggled since Rúben Amorim joined the club in November 2024, replacing Erik ten Hag after a poor start to the season, after being backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe in the summer.
Despite winning his first game against Ipswich Town, Amorim has failed to get the results he needs to please United fans, with many now calling for his sack after a dismal start to the Premier League and the Carabao Cup.
One of the issues United fans seem to have with Amorim is his stubbornness regarding his 3-4-2-1 formation, as it is a structure that hasn’t been seen at Old Trafford before, and it isn’t delivering the results that United need.
There have been arguments that players don’t fit the structure, while fans remain unhappy about the treatment of Kobbie Mainoo. He has been out of the side because Bruno Fernandes has dropped back into defensive midfield, but he isn’t a natural in that position.
Improvements are needed quickly if Amorim is to remain in charge, although United looked much better against Sunderland. The manager made a slight tweak to the system, and the Red Devils were comfortable in victory against the newly promoted side.
Meulensteen reveals Amorim’s error at United
Rene Meulensteen, a former United assistant coach under Sir Alex Ferguson and Fulham manager, has shared his thoughts on Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, amid recent reports that his time in charge could be coming to an end.
“There’s nothing wrong with any system,” said Meulensteen to Sky Sports when asked about Amorim’s setup. “It’s all about whether the players can execute that system. And if they can’t, then you need to adapt, in my opinion. Otherwise, you keep trying to do the same things and nothing changes.
“In the modern game, people sometimes start with, say, a 4-3-3 and very quickly shift into a 3-4-3 — it flows, you know what I mean? It depends on how the game evolves, what the opposition does, and what kind of system they play.”
The former assistant manager continued to state he feels Amorim’s decision to be so public about him not changing his ways, something that started in December, only harms him as a coach.
“I said from the start, I don’t think it was wise for him to say, ‘I want to play 3-4-3, and this is what I’m going to do, and I’m not going to change.’
“I think he should’ve said, ‘Listen, I’m in favour of 3-4-3. I’ve had a lot of success with it, and I really hope I can make it work at Manchester United. But first, I need to have a look at the players I’ve got. I need to look at the Premier League because it’s a completely different league to Portugal. And if it doesn’t work, then I’ll have to be a bit creative and maybe adapt here and there.’
“Then he would’ve given himself far more freedom. As it is now, it’s almost become a sort of witch hunt, ‘the system, the system, the system’, which doesn’t help, because every time they fall short, people start asking the same questions.”
Amorim must pursue with Sunderland system
Against Sunderland, Amorim changed his out-of-possession shape to a 4-4-2 formation, while maintaining his original system in attack. Amad stayed higher, Patrick Dorgu dropped in to form a back four, and Mason Mount moved back into midfield.
While it wasn’t perfect, it made United more stable without the ball and more dangerous on the counterattack, with Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško playing closer together.
If United can perfect the 4-4-2 formation without the ball, Amorim could regain some fans who lost faith in his ideas in recent weeks. The 4-4-2 has worked for years, and a return to it could see United push for the top four once again.
However, Amorim needs to become more flexible in his system, or he will eventually fall to the same fate that so many managers have already suffered in the Premier League. You have to be willing to adapt.
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