Gary Neville has discussed Ruben Amorim's change in tactics during Manchester United's chaotic draw with AFC Bournemouth - despite previously being rigid around his system and style.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville presents to camera ahead of the Premier League match between Man Utd and Arsenal.
Gary Neville reckons Ruben Amorim has broken one of his golden rules.
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Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville has had his say on discussions surrounding a change of formation in the side's 4-4 draw with AFC Bournemouth at Old Trafford on Monday night.
It came as a surprise to supporters when watching the game, as the starting line-up appeared to point towards a back five, but the side shuffled into more of a four during the match.
That is despite head coach Ruben Amorim being insistent over the first year or so of his tenure that he would not change, having previously made his stance clear in the media over a move from the five to a four.
He said: "No one. Not even the Pope will change [his tactics]. This is my job. This is my responsibility. This is my life. So, I will not change that."
Those were quotes that Neville reflected on in the latest recording of the Stick To Football podcast, before having his say on the changes that United made in the game.
He said: "So, basically, he's saying that he's never going to change the system. On Monday night, that's the average positions, that's the graphic. On Monday night, the average position.
"I mean, look, my eyes, to be fair, at times thought they were deceiving me because I couldn't quite work out what he was doing. It was in no doubt at the end, but it was no doubt he was in 4-2-4 at the end, but he was also during the game; something was different on Monday night.
"Has he changed it...? The last 20 minutes he was definitely 4-4-2, 4-2-4, but in the first part of the game, there was something definitely different that had been identified earlier in the week.
"Apparently, United are a bit annoyed, basically it's leaked out that he's gonna change to a 4-4-2 or a 4-3-3. He was emphatic about not changing, and we've all asked for him to change and be agile. Where are we now in respect to, there's no doubt on Monday he changed."
There were times in the match where United looked back to the team of old, before the habits of recent years snuck back into it, but it's a promising signal for many that the head coach is willing to make those small tactical tweaks.
While many believed there were changes, Bournemouth's boss Andoni Iraola seemed less certain, as he said after the game: "I think it's the same system they always play, but they adapt depending on who you put to mark them. In the end, it's a very flexible system.
"Depending on the players, the outside players, depending if you mark them with a full-back, they will go lower, and then with a winger, they go higher.
"Also, with the positions in the middle, the six and eight, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes and - even us - we were changing, it's two against two, but it's not two against two.
"Until we match up well for us, I think we suffer in the first 15 or 20 minutes, something like this and after when we put Alex [Scott] there, we felt much more solid without the ball. And when you feel solid, normally you also attack better."
Considering United's upcoming AFCON absentees, it remains to be seen whether the side will continue with those tactical tweaks or if it was a rare change that may not be seen again.