Ruben Amorim is experiencing some major difficulties at Manchester United this season and he may have to look across town to learn how to solve those issues.
Both Manchester clubs hit bumps this season. Manchester City looked human. Manchester United looked… lost. But while Pep Guardiola’s side quietly fixed their problems, the Reds are still caught between systems, strategies, and statements. Why did one club recover, and the other unravel?
Between August and December, both sides were far from their best. City dropped points, lost rhythm without Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri, and looked vulnerable in transition. United, meanwhile, dealt with their own injury crisis. Fallouts, fitness issues, and an already fragile midfield left them exposed.
The difference? City had a structure to fall back on. United didn’t.
Even during their slump, Guardiola made one thing clear: “This is not a team created to do box-to-box 40 times in a game — we are not good at that.” It was a quiet but pointed reminder — City know exactly who they are, and what they’re not. Their identity is non-negotiable. United, in contrast, are still trying to define theirs.
Come January, City slowed their tempo, reintroduced John Stones and Joško Gvardiol, and leaned on a deeper build-up structure. Phil Foden stepped into central roles. The changes were subtle but effective. Pep simplified, tweaked, and trusted.
Ruben Amorim also made adjustments. After trying to dominate the ball, he pivoted. United dropped deeper, pressed less, and looked to counter. Results improved slightly — but not enough. The blueprint was reactive, not proactive. There’s still no automation, no repeatable patterns. United remain reliant on individual moments, not mechanisms.
What United and Amorim must do to make rebuild stick
City have let go of figures like Riyad Mahrez and Kyle Walker — without drama. They backed replacements early and adjusted the system accordingly.
United tried the same: Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelöf, Harry Maguire — all linked with exits. Few left. The result? An inflated squad lacking cohesion and clarity. Even now, United feel like a club mid-transition, but without a clear destination.
City’s crisis was visible. But they had the maturity — and infrastructure — to handle it. They made tweaks, not overhauls. United have cycled through philosophies, managers, and short-term fixes. A Wembley win last year offered hope. But hope without structure fades fast.
Now, it’s on Amorim. United don’t need to become City — but they do need to learn from their clarity. Pep knew what his team could and couldn’t do, made peace with its limits, and adjusted with intent. Amorim must do the same: identify a core identity, shape the squad to serve it, and shut out the noise.
City’s recovery wasn’t luck. It was alignment. And that’s exactly what United — and Amorim — must build if they want this rebuild to stick.
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