Analysis: Has Ruben Amorim found Noussair Mazraoui’s new Manchester United position?

Manchester United fans knew they were getting a good player, but it’s fair to say that Noussair Mazraoui can be called one of the signings of the summer.

Bought for around 15 million, Noussair Mazraoui has taken to life at Manchester United like a duck to water, wowing fans with his quality, consistency, and versatility – having played on both sides of the defence and even in the No. 10 position in one game.

On Sunday, in his first game under new boss Rúben Amorim after replacing Erik ten Hag, Mazraoui lined up in yet another position – playing on the right of United’s new back three – and as ever, he put in a clean performance.

Read More: Manchester United have already undermined Rúben Amorim as “disgrace” decision shuns his “greatest weapon”

Whilst unfortunate that Omari Hutchinson’s shot deflected in off him, Mazraoui looked comfortable on the right of the back three and fans are now wondering whether this could be his permanent position under Amorim.

Here, I analyse why this could be an excellent fit for both the team and the player.

Mazraoui’s qualities

To understand how he can fit in this role, we must first understand his qualities as a footballer. The Moroccan is one of United’s best players technically, using both feet well and seldom losing the ball under pressure.

He can both pass and carry the ball well, particularly in tight spaces and progresses play to a reasonable level. His ability to contribute in all phases has already made him a key player in possession for United.

Physically, he stands around six feet tall and, whilst not an exceptional athlete, is relatively quick, naturally strong, and uses his body smartly. He is good in the air and plays intensely, allowing him to dominate most of his duels. This is one of his weaker areas, and he can be prone to injuries, but he is still more than serviceable physically.

Defensively, he has proven himself to be better than many expected. His tackling technique is good both standing and going to the ground. He consistently wins his 1v1s and has displayed exceptional positioning and awareness this season, whether playing on the right or the left. His proactivity and smart reading of play reduce his reliance on his physical qualities when defending.

Whilst defending as a wide centre-back is different from defending as a full-back, Mazraoui has the technical, physical, and mental qualities to succeed there both in and out of possession.

Tactical demands and options

In Ruben Amorim’s 4-3-3, the wide centre-backs have significant responsibilities in possession, with a lot of the load for ball progression being placed upon them. To build up, Amorim typically prefers to play around, coming from the wide centre-backs, then using his wing-backs to play inside the pitch and go forwards from there.

We saw this in practice for United’s goal against Ipswich, where Mazraoui passed out to Amad—United’s wing-back—who combined with Bruno Fernandes before going on a brilliant run to set up Marcus Rashford inside just two minutes. Mazraoui inverted into United’s back three on many occasions under Erik ten Hag, too, and has proven his quality to progress the ball from a wide centre-back position.

If the opposition is blocking passes, Mazraoui breaks lines through carries well and is unfazed under pressure, making this a progression option. He can carry both around the sides or through the middle, and his comfort with both feet makes it difficult to predict his actions.

Shape-wise, a common thing with back three formations is an in-game shift to a four, with one wing-back dropping into a traditional full-back spot and another pushing higher up, with the wide centre-back on that side filling in as a full-back.

Amorim’s Sporting was seen building in a 4-2-2-2 shape on many occasions. It can’t help but be felt that should Amad continue to line up at right wing-back for United, the option of pushing him higher up and Mazraoui occupying a more traditional full-back position in certain phases and situations, would suit both players very well, particularly given the excellent understanding they share.

Another option I spoke about recently on our weekly podcast, What The Devil, is the prospect of the wide centre-backs overlapping in the final third when United have teams pinned back.

With the Moroccan and Luke Shaw likely to be United’s starters in these positions for the next few weeks, this could become a genuine option and a unique weapon to try and break the last line of particularly stubborn sides if United is able to exact dominance over the ball.

Their background as natural full-backs and understanding of spaces and timings would allow them to execute this well.

While unorthodox, Mazraoui’s positional shift to a wide centre-back in a three creates many exciting options for Manchester United. As detailed, the player has the individual qualities to fulfil the role’s demands.

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