Ruben Amorim is looking to take his side back into Europe this season after last year's disappointments and recent improvements at Old Trafford have emboldened the Manchester United boss
Ruben Amorim has told his players that change is coming
Ruben Amorim has told his players that change is coming
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Since Ruben Amorim's arrival at the Theatre of Dreams, Manchester United's formation has been questioned seemingly non-stop. But no matter what's been said on the outside, the Portuguese has remained wedded to his 3-4-2-1 formation.
It's taken some getting used to. And not all former Manchester United players are on board - perhaps most notably Paul Scholes, who even after last week's 4-1 win over Wolves saw fit to let rip about Amorim's favoured shape.
"Right away, that’s a no. Man United never do that," the Old Trafford icon said on The Good, The Bad, The Football podcast. "They can’t do that. They just can’t, it’s been proven over years and years and years.
"And I’m talking about even before Sir Alex Ferguson, it was always 4-4-1-1 or 4-4-2. Entertaining people. He hasn’t got that in him."
But perhaps the ex-Sporting Lisbon and Braga boss could be about to rip up the rule book. During a team meeting before the thrashing of lowly Wolves at Molineux, Amorim is believed to have told his players "a change is coming".
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Since then, as first revealed by The Athletic, United have been dedicating time in training to stepping away from a back three and moving forward with a back four, utilising a 4-3-3 formation. Such a move would mark a major change for the United boss.
But with the Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching, Amorim is aware that three of his key men - Amad, the ultra-consistent Noussair Mazraoui and this season's biggest goal threat thus far, Bryan Mbeumo - are all heading to the tournament. That trio have made up the entirety of United's right-hand side in recent games but Monday night against Bournemouth might well be the last time he can call upon them for some time. Thus, a solution is required.
Speaking pre-match, Amorim hinted he is open to change - as well as offering that a switch to a three-man midfield could afford Kobbie Mainoo more game time.
Bryan Mbeumo and Amad are among the Manchester United players heading out to play in the Africa Cup of Nations
Bryan Mbeumo and Amad are among the Manchester United players heading out to play in the Africa Cup of Nations(Image: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
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"The problem is we are playing with two [in midfield] and you guys see Kobbie in a different way than I'm seeing," Amorim explained. "Maybe if you play with three midfielders, not with just two, Kobbie will have more minutes. Imagine that this happens. Someone in front is going to lose their spot.
"We need to adapt a little bit the way we are going to play the games, and that is a good opportunity to do that because we cannot think that we are going to play the same way without Amad, Bryan and Nous (Mazraoui), but especially Amad and Bryan because of the characteristics. That is really hard to get.
"They have more or less the same characteristics, the both of them, and we are losing them for a few games. But it's a good opportunity for us to try to play in a different way."
Now that different way, after 13 months, could finally be upon us.