How Amorim’s tactics gave Man Utd hope after the ‘storm’

Even Ruben Amorim did not anticipate the magnitude of the tempest through December when he said a “storm would come”?

Manchester United manager’s worst start since 1932, six defeats from 11 games.

However, hope has arrived in the most unlikely places: United’s stirring draw at Anfield was more united, coherent, and more Amorim than any other performance under the new leadership.

It is still too early to determine whether the storm has ended or whether they are simply stargazing. The clarity of this week is only a temporary illusion before United are swept up once more.

Either way, the Red Devils now have a template to follow. And not before time.

The perfect time to assess how the new boss is faring is that Amorim has managed nine Premier League games, which is equal to Erik ten Hag’s total this season. This weekend’s FA Cup third-round match will take place on Sunday, with an eye-catching tie against Arsenal.

And the headline figures are unfavorable.

This passes the eye test.

Manchester United’s new 3-4-3 formation appears a little shaky and confused, at least partially because they struggle to press effectively, create decompressed lines, and give the impression of a wide-open team drifting through matches.

Comparing the two nine-game periods, United’s high turnovers have dropped from 83 to 56, their pressed sequences are down from 128 to 100, and their total distance run is down from 976.2km to 966.5 km.

There is a third reason that is less discussed.

Every Premier League game, Amorim changed the back three, the midfield pairing, the wing-back pairing, and the inside forward pairing until the team’s 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth on December 22.

Despite the United players’ frequent attempts to find rhythms or forge relationships when there is no time to train, efforts are made to simulate lab conditions for matches. Until now.

Since the Bournemouth defeat, United have changed their average number of times per game to three, while at Anfield they have the same back five as their first Premier League team, under Amorim, for the first time.

The defense of crosses, a major issue for United for the past few months, was significantly narrowed while Harry Maguire’s, Lisandro Martinez’, and Matthijs de Ligt’s were both significantly improved.

At Anfield, Liverpool failed to complete a single open-play cross into the area (from 17 attempts) for only the second time this season, despite the fact that nine of the 16 Premier League goals United conceded under Amorim (56%) were from crosses.

Because Manuel Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo’s performances at Liverpool were primarily defined by their energy and tenacity, who unquestionably now deserve to play for the team, this need for stability is as true for central midfield as it is for defense.

The main issue with Amorim’s 3-4-3 has been the spaces that open either side of the two-man midfield, especially when the wing-backs are forced to drop to form a 5-2-3 shape.

At Anfield, however, Mainoo and Ugarte did brilliantly to shuttle across the width of the pitch.

Although you wouldn’t know it from the first two months, Amorim prioritizes purposeful possession-oriented vertical football, which can be played thirds at will.

Amad Diallo is the only person who is currently enjoying the style change.

Diallo has been directly involved in eight of United’s 11 Premier League goals under the new manager (three goals, five assists), and since Amorim’s first game in charge only Iliman Ndiaye (25) has completed more dribbles than the Ivorian’s 21.

Since switching from right wing-back to number 10, his form had slowed slightly, but the Anfield draw represents another positive development.

With Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui serving as United’s wing-backs before the Liverpool game, Dalot was significantly more risky in his attempt to stop Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Dalot was the United midfielder who had the second-highest number of touches of the ball (70%) and took just two more passes than any other Liverpool player.

Despite creating 21 Premier League chances since Amorim arrived, the third most in the division, Fernandes has yet to find his feet, regularly moving between the number 10 and central midfield roles.

Amorim, who pierces the lines quickly while dropping into midfield to fill the gaps, may have found his future role against Liverpool.

Manchester United’s 2-2 draw at Anfield has the potential to be a turning point for the Amorim project thanks to Fernandes making sense, the wing-backs moving forward, Mainoo and Ugarte injecting energy into the midfield, and the centre-backs forming a partnership.