Ruben Amorim’s most convincing victory as Manchester United manager came in his third game in front of the Old Trafford faithful as they swept aside Everton 4-0.
The new system at Manchester United will take time to become second nature but in the meantime, wins like these are a huge boost to the confidence.
Joshua Zirkzee was the latest beneficiary of the 3-4-2-1 as he scored a brace, the first time he’s been on the scoresheet since his debut goal vs Fulham.
Marcus Rashford joined him on the “brace list” with Amad helping himself to two assists but Ruben Amorim will be most happy with the performance of one player he specifically called out after his first game.
Ruben Amorim, Head Coach of Manchester United, speaks to Marcus Rashford of Manchester United as he prepares to enter the pitch as a substitute dur...
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Ruben Amorim’s challenge
Ruben Amorim’s first Man Utd XI had a clear makeshift look to it and his selections in the two games following that have strengthened that belief.
United’s midfield pairing vs Ipswich has been changed in every game after that and while Amorim has stressed the importance of rotation, some of those players won’t be in the long-term plans.
One area of the team that is sorted for the long term is the attack, which consists of young players who those entering their peak.
Therefore, just “buying more strikers” was not a simple solution to United’s goalscoring woes. The goals they miss the most of those are from Marcus Rashford.
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The forward scored 30 goals in all competitions in Ten Hag’s debut season and all those strikes effectively vanished in his second and third year.
Amorim’s arrival was expected to rejuvenate him and it looks like that has happened but the Man Utd manager made sure to tell Rashford after the Ipswich game that he has to “want it” first and foremost.
Marcus Rashford answers the call vs Everton
While putting down that challenge, Amorim also conceded that he didn’t put Rashford in the best position for success because he started him as a striker.
Even then, he scored a goal that game vs Ipswich and vs Everton, where he started in a more familiar inside-forward role, and he repaid the faith.
His overall game showed a lot of room for improvement and one of those goals was via a lucky deflection but his second goal showed a player finding peak confidence again.
The way he ran the channel to receive Amad’s pass and finished past a rushing goalkeeper was a departure from what Rashford of a year ago would have probably done.
Amorim praised him after the game but as has been the theme for him in most interviews, urged his player to be even better.
He said of Rashford: “A new coach is always like that, but there is so much to improve. He can do so much better. We all have to improve. But it was a great job from the players.”
It is interesting that Amorim points out how Rashford has always performed under a “new” coach so he’s already set the next challenge for him- to keep it going with consistency.
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