Micah Richards believes one thing is really hindering Rúben Amorim as Manchester United head into the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.
Rúben Amorim faces a huge challenge this summer as he aims to turn around Manchester United’s worst campaign in recent memory.
The 2024/25 season saw the Old Trafford side finish 15th in the Premier League and miss out on silverware for the first time in three years, losing the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur and exiting both domestic cups early.
United have been busy in the transfer market, spending just over £200 million to bring in Matheus Cunha, Diego Leon, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Šeško, addressing key weaknesses in the squad.
Their domestic season begins in mid-August at Old Trafford against Arsenal, with Amorim determined to carry the momentum from a positive pre-season tour of the United States into competitive action.
Shearer and Richards disagree on United’s league finish
With the Premier League season set to kick off this weekend, there has been a lot of debate surrounding where United will finish in the coming campaign.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer and ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards disagreed on whether Amorim’s club can finish in the European spots at the end of the coming campaign.
“I mean, clearly they’ll improve on last season, they can’t be as bad,” Shearer said. “Yeah, they’ve made a couple of really good signings, but yeah, I think 7th, 8th, 9th, something like that.”
However, Richards replied by citing the club’s interest in Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, stating: “I think better than that. Yeah. I look at their squad now, and they’ve been linked to Baleba as well. If they can get Baleba…”
Richards trailed off as co-host Gary Lineker pointed out that Baleba would be a fantastic signing for the Reds, to which Richards agreed.
Amorim being hindered by his formation
However, Richards did go on to say he is worried about Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation. The head coach is very set in his ways and has been adamant he will not change his style, but the former England defender believes it’s a hindrance to the squad.
“The only problem I have ,though, guys, is still the formation,” Richards continued. “So in the pre-season friendly the other day against Fiorentina, they went with… I think it was [Mason] Mount up top was like a false nine, and Mbeumo to the right, and Cunha to the left. [Bruno] Fernandes and Casemiro in midfield. They had [Patrick Chinazaekpere] Dorgu on one side, and [Amad] on the other side.
“I just think the formation is really hindering them. I think if they were playing a 4-3-3, I think they could be challenging for the Europa League. But it’s not going to change. So when you watch the clips and everything, Fernandes is a little bit further back.
“They need Fernandes because he’s the one who wants to get on the ball and get him ticking and all that. But then they miss him a bit further forward, creating opportunities. And then you’ve got Mbeumo, who does loads of his work, or his best work, out wide. But he’s sort of in a No. 10 position.
“Cunha works, no problem. He can go from the left. He can go in the number 10 position. It really works. But I just think the balance of the team is not right for the players that they have. I think 4-3-3 would suit them so well.
“And I think their fixtures, the first five fixtures, look really hard for United as well. It’s just whether that negativity creeps in. You know, it shouldn’t. They’ve got a new training ground. They’ve had a refurb. They’ve got some new players.
There were reports that they wouldn’t be able to spend any money in the transfer window before, so to get Cunha, Mbeumo and Šeško in, it’s amazing for them. It’s just whether they can all play together.”
When pressed for where he feels United will finish, Richards then replied: “I’m going to say top six. I’m going to say Europe.”
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