With a familiar face in Darren Fletcher set for the Manchester United dugout for the game against Burnley after the shock departure of Ruben Amorim, here’s how different the Reds’ line-up could be for Fletcher’s first game.
Manchester United are wasting no time already in causing a shock at the beginning of the first full week of 2026, announcing the sacking of Rúben Amorim less than 24 hours after a 1-1 draw away at Ellen Road.
The sacking came shortly after an explosive final post-match press conference, where Amorim appeared to throw shade at the board following rumours of friction beginning to build between himself and Sporting Director Jason Wilcox in previous weeks.
Now, with the departure of Amorim, it is yet to be seen if this will also see the abandonment of the three at the back system that has been utilised for the last 14 months at Old Trafford and has received its fair criticism throughout this time.
With this being Darren Fletcher’s first senior managerial role, it will be intriguing to see how United approach the game away at Burnley on Wednesday and if there will be a switch-up from what has become the norm at United.
How could Man Utd set up under Fletcher?
When speaking to United Academy expert AcademyScoop, also known as Fin Picknett, during last month’s U18s victory at home to Peterborough in the FA Youth Cup, the differences between Amorim and Fletcher’s style were highlighted.
In response to being asked if there are any similarities or shades of Amorim’s infamous 3-4-2-1 system in Fletcher’s setup, Picknett went on to explain the Scotsman’s ‘unique style’, and its positives for developing young talent.
“No [there are not a lot of similarities], and I think that’s a good thing. I think it’s good that there’s not this onus on the academy teams to reflect what the first team are doing necessarily.
“I think there were certain aspects where obviously they play a back three in possession and some similar shapes that emerged that we see in Rúben Amorim’s first team set-up. Especially early in the game, I think United’s full-backs were playing quite high and wide.
“But overall, I’d say that Darren Fletcher’s style is unique in its own identity, separate from Rúben Amorim, and given the struggles in the first team, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”
Who might we see against Burnley?
Following United’s away trip to Leeds, which saw Rúben Amorim forced to field a bench of mostly Academy players with the exceptions of Tyrell Malacia and Joshua Zirkzee, it looks like Darren Fletcher could see the return of three very key players on Wednesday night.
As mentioned in Amorim’s final post-match interview as United manager, there is a chance that captain Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount could be available for Wednesday night’s clash at Turf Moor.
At the same time, reports suggest that Kobbie Mainoo has returned to on-field training and may be in contention to play against Burnley on Wednesday evening.
With United’s attacking threat and all-around creativity visibly suffering in the past two games against Wolves and Leeds, getting the trio back out on the pitch could be vital for Fletcher’s first game in charge, with Fernandes in particular possessing the ability to turn games around just on his own.
It will be interesting to see how United set out to play against Burnley under Fletcher for the first time, presumably with a new formation as well.
However, the thing above all United fans will be most concerned about on Wednesday is coming away with three points, and finally giving United fans something to be positive about, for now.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.