Noussair Mazraoui has revealed why he is held in high regard by Rúben Amorim in an interview with Manchester United’s media team.
Noussair Mazraoui’s time at Manchester United has not been easy. He joined alongside Matthijs de Ligt for a minimal fee to play under his former Ajax boss, Erik ten Hag. But, ten Hag was dismissed just months into Mazraoui’s United career, with Rúben Amorim coming in to replace him.
Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation doesn’t cater for a natural right-back, such as Mazraoui, so the Moroccan may have had immediate concerns over his playing time. However, the former Bayern Munich defender became a key player under the former Sporting CP boss, with 57 appearances in the 2024/25 season.
Amad and Diogo Dalot usually shared the right-wing-back role, while Patrick Dorgu was the first-choice on the left. Leny Yoro and de Ligt both featured as right-sided defenders, and yet Mazraoui was among the highest appearance makers for the club last year.
The versatility of the former Ajax right-back proved very useful to Amorim last season, and it would’ve done this year as well if it hadn’t been for the injury issues at the beginning of the campaign.
Mazraoui missed the majority of pre-season after picking up an injury in the first match against Leeds United. He returned for Burnley, coming off the bench with 10 minutes left and impressing. After starting against Manchester City and Chelsea, he was again forced to sit on the sidelines before returning to the pitch against Nottingham Forest. Amorim will be keen for Mazraoui to be back up to full speed soon.
Mazraoui reveals demands of his positions
As per TransferMarkt, Mazraoui has featured most for United as a central defender and a right-wing-back, with 20 appearances in both roles. He has also played 13 games as a natural right-back, four matches as a left-back, two at left-wing-back, and one as an attacking midfielder.
In an interview with United, Mazraoui revealed the demands of playing as a centre-back, compared to playing as a wing-back. “Whenever I was a right-back, I always liked to do the attacking but I also liked to defend, to catch my opponent, one against one, and just win those duels,” said the United defender.
“For me, it’s also a nice feeling so I think, yeah, those two positions [centre-back and wing-back] just suit me and I don’t really have a preference. Of course, they are different positions, so they ask something different from you, in [terms of] attacking, and in defence as well.
“I think, as one of the centre-backs, it’s more defending, controlling the game, controlling the counters of the opponent. And more building up. So that is basically what your job is during the game.”
He went on to say: “I think, as a wing-back, it’s more going up and down. So you have more of both sides. A little bit more defending but also you have to be decisive because you come a lot into the last third of the pitch, the last-third part of the pitch. And that asks again something different from you than being at centre-back because then you have to give like an assist or be decisive or give a great ball, where it comes to a chance.”
Mazraoui’s versatility and lack of preference for a position will be a key reason he is liked so much why Amorim, and why he plays so often when he is fully fit.
Mazraoui must return to the back three
Since his return from his latest injury, Mazraoui came off the bench at centre-back against Forest before starting as a wing-back against Tottenham Hotspur.
While he can prove useful at wing-back – due to his defensive abilities, compared to Amad or Dorgu – Mazraoui plays his best football, in Amorim’s formation, as a right-sided central defender.
The Moroccan combines well with the wing-back ahead of him and often carries the ball into the second phase of the pitch, bypassing the opposition’s attack with ease.
Playing him as a right-back also allows Amorim to revert to a 4-4-2 structure without the ball. The United boss has tried this at times, with Mason Mount dropping from the No.10 position to left midfield, but Yoro has had to play as the right-back.
With Mazraoui returning to full fitness, Yoro could struggle for regular minutes, but Amorim has shown he is willing to drop impressive young players if they have senior competitors. Most notably, Kobbie Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes.
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