Rúben Amorim’s most significant difference compared to Erik ten Hag has benefited three Manchester United players amid the club’s quest to restore their former glory.
Following Manchester United’s victory in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City, it is almost unbelievable to think that, 11 months later, the club are heading in an entirely different direction.
Since that fantastic day on 25 May, United have sacked Erik ten Hag, replaced him with Rúben Amorim, spent £200 million on further reinforcements, and are expected to sign a host of more players this summer.
The switch from Ten Hag to Amorim has led to the club changing their entire on-field and off-pitch philosophy, with the side now playing in a 3-4-3 formation and United’s board shifting their transfer focus to signing younger players.
With the two managers also very different in their style of coaching and dealing with the players, it has caused significant turbulence at Old Trafford that have left them 14th in the Premier League table but in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Amorim’s biggest difference to Ten Hag
As many will know, Ten Hag was a disciplinarian who sought to maintain discipline among players and expel those who disagreed with him, which often translated into perceived stubbornness when selecting his teams.
This led to many questioning why the Dutchman was so insistent on starting those such as Antony despite their poor stints in the attack.
In contrast, Amorim has been incredibly flexible with the players he has chosen, admitting throughout the season that he has continued to change his mind about those at his disposal.
Speaking on Friday afternoon ahead of United’s Premier League fixture against Bournemouth, Amorim was very open about his flexibility, stating he is always happy when players manage to break their way into the starting teams and change his mind.
When speaking on the topic, Amorim used the example of Casemiro as a player who has managed to break his way back into the squad despite initial poor performances under the Portuguese head coach.
“Everything can happen. Casemiro is the best example. He was a player who wasn’t playing and then, you see the last games, he is having a part and he is performing quite well, he is playing all the time, so I am not the kind of coach,” Amorim said.
“I like to change my mind. If they change my mind, I am really happy with that. I just want to win and to put the best players in my team.”
Three players have benefited from this flexibility
There are three players who have benefited more than anyone else with respect to Amorim’s flexibility, with one such player being the aforementioned Casemiro.
However, another who has surprised many, including Amorim, with his positive performances has been young centre-back Ayden Heaven. The 18-year-old signed from Arsenal in January, and had Ten Hag been at the helm, it would have been unlikely that Heaven would have been granted much of a chance to play.
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However, with Amorim willing to take risks, Heaven has already elevated himself from a future starting player to a defender who can already be considered as part of the first-team.
Finally, another who has changed the mind of not just Amorim but many fans across football is Amad. Although a strong secret among United fans was known of the 22-year-old’s talent, it was not until Amorim was able to see the player in person that his abundance of ability became clear.
Ten Hag underutilised the forward, preferring those such as Alejandro Garnacho or Omari Forson in attack. Still, once Amad was able to prove himself with an open-minded Amorim as the head coach, he has not looked back.
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