Ruben Amorim applauds.
Ruben Amorim has not been afraid to tinker. (Image: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images.)
There are three guarantees in life: death, taxes and Ruben Amorim tinkering with his Manchester United starting line-up.
The Portuguese head coach made five changes to the starting XI from last Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest for Thursday night's slender victory over Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League, meaning United started with yet another new-look attack.
For the first time since the 39-year-old succeeded Erik ten Hag last month, Amad was deployed in the front-three, operating alongside Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford.
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Amad had made each of his five previous appearances under Amorim at right-wing back, meaning his introduction to the front-three marked the fifth different attacking combination United have started with in Amorim's first six games in charge.
Amid Amorim's need to rotate to combat the busy nature of United's fixture schedule, it is very much possible he could unleash a sixth different front-three in seven games for Sunday's short hop to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City.
United will head into the first Premier League meeting between the two this season with the ambition of capitalising on City's current struggles. Their 2-0 reverse to Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday night marked a seventh defeat in their last 10 games.
Amorim has played down suggestions City's form could play into United's hands, insisting the Reds "have a lot of issues" of their own. Nevertheless, United ought to embrace the opportunity of trying to clinch a first win at the Etihad since March 2021.
Amorim's ongoing obsession with rotation meant he offered a hint of how he could set his team up against City with the XI he named for the win over Plzen. Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo, both of whom started the defeat to Forest, were named on the bench in the Czech Republic, making way for Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro to start in the centre of midfield.
The general feeling is that Ugarte and Mainoo, who have started just two matches alongside each other since the former joined the club in the summer, will eventually form United's strongest midfield partnership. If that is to be the case, they could start in tandem for a game of such importance this weekend.
In the event of the aforementioned duo being recalled, it means Fernandes, who has started every game under Amorim thus far, is likely to move back into a more advanced role and start as one of the two No.10s.
Rasmus Hojlund has to be selected as the starting No.9 after his game-changing contributions via the bench in midweek, leaving the final spot in the front-three up for grabs. Presuming Amad moves back to wing-back, Mason Mount, who also made a positive contribution after coming off the bench against Plzen, could start for only the third time under Amorim.
On the two previous occasions Mount has been named in the starting line-up, he has started in attack alongside Alejandro Garnacho and Hojlund. But the likelihood of Fernandes operating as the other No.10 will give United another different look in attack to what has previously been on show over the last three weeks or so.
Amorim has made no secret of his admiration for Mount, waxing lyrical about the former Chelsea man almost as soon as he arrived in Manchester from Lisbon. Mount's tactical understanding and willingness to compete out of possession is every coach's dream, even if it not always what earns plaudits from supporters.
As dire as City's recent form has been, they will dictate possession, just as they always have under Pep Guardiola, meaning Mount's energy and desire to run could be a crucial component, likewise the grit and energy Ugarte and Mainoo could offer in midfield.
Mount made a positive impact against Plzen and was unlucky not to score what would have been just his second goal in United colours. He offered far more in 29 minutes than what both Rashford and Zirkzee did in 56 and 61 minutes respectively, meaning he would be worthy of just a fourth Premier League start of the season.
Working in conjunction with Hojlund, who has three goals in his last two games, Mount and Fernandes would offer United something different in attack to what has previously been on show. Amorim is still in the process of experimenting, and the prospect of starting with two seasoned attacking-midfielders as the No.10s for the first time will offer something fresh.