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With Ruben Amorim reportedly poised to take over following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal as Manchester United manager, it’s fascinating to think what the Portuguese tactician would do with the players at his disposal.
Ten Hag spent a not-so-small fortune assembling a squad to fit his playing style, but over half a billion pounds later, that style failed to emerge as his galaxy of stars routinely failed to deliver.
Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon side currently sit top of the Primeira Liga table with a goal difference of +28, a far cry from 14th-placed United’s dismal GD of negative three.
Under the 39-year-old’s rule, Sporting have already hit a staggering 30 goals and conceded just two, outscoring Premier League leaders Manchester City by a full 50% (albeit in a less competitive division).
Amorim will therefore have his work cut out to seamlessly pick up at Old Trafford what he would leave off at Éstadio José Alvalade, but there’s no doubt he could bend United’s resources to have a good go at replicating his exciting brand of possession-based football.
The manager is well-known for operating a 3-4-3 formation, with marauding full-backs linking up with ball-playing centre-backs in the first third and operating a high defensive line when the opposition get on the ball.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana would be certain to keep his place. Apart from being in the frame for United’s player of the season so far, he is second to none with the ball at his feet and is a dream for any manager looking to build from the back.
United have numerous options at centre-back, but when they’re all fit, the most logical trio would be Lisandro Martinez on the left, young Leny Yoro on the right with Matthijs de Ligt the anchor in between.
All three pass well, but with Yoro yet to make a competitive start for the Red Devils and still sidelined with an injury picked up pre-season, Amorim would doubtless turn to a more senior option such as Harry Maguire or Jonny Evans in the initial stages, perhaps as an anchor with De Ligt pushed wide.
Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot have nailed down the full-back berths so far this season with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia out with injury.
Both can be impressive going forward, and with none of United’s wingers likely to offer enough defensively, they would be the obvious choices to play as wing-backs. That said, Shaw has a good attacking record and would be breathing down their necks as soon as he returns to fitness.
Arguably the toughest calls are in the middle of the park, where United have plenty of options when everyone is fit. Despite his tender years, Kobbie Mainoo has made himself almost undroppable, and the Portuguese is no stranger to putting his faith in youth so would doubtless go with him when available.
Amorim’s arrival would be good news for summer signing Manuel Ugarte, who has so far struggled for minutes at Old Trafford. He was brought in to replace Casemiro, but the Brazilian has edged closer to form and kept the Uruguayan on the bench; his days on the team sheet may be numbered with Amorim in the dugout.
Things get interesting with the front three, where Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford would likely keep their places – it’s hard to see any manager coming into the Old Trafford hotseat and dropping either, although Amorim is no stranger to making big calls and would probably look to the likes of Amad should rotation be necessary.
The elephant in the room is Bruno Fernandes, the club captain who doesn’t easily fit into a 3-4-3 system which does away with a traditional number 10 role. Despite frustrating interludes, the man is ultimately a United talisman, and may find himself reinvented as a wide option.
It’s a position he has played before and it would certainly provide a different dimension to what Rashford or Garnacho can offer. Alternatively, he may offer a contrasting option in a deeper role to rotate with Mainoo.
Up top, it’s hard to look past Rasmus Hojlund, United’s number 9 and on his day, their most potent finisher. Amorim is used to top quality at the spearhead of his attack, with Viktor Gyökeres playing the role as well as anyone in Europe for Sporting at the moment, and the Dane’s position is safe for now, although would quickly come under scrutiny should he fail to deliver.
