Amorim hits back at critics over key tactical decision following Everton loss

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is refusing to cave into criticism following his team’s poor showing in a 1-0 loss to Everton. Despite being down to 10 men for the majority of the match, Everton scored an unexpected goal to silence the Old Trafford crowd. While Man United continued to dominate the flow of play, they were unable to make the most of their attempts on goal as the visitors held on for victory. This defeat frustrated numerous onlookers, with former United skipper Gary Neville making his frustration known. Calling out Amorim “You have five at the back, why?” Neville asked, questioning Amorim’s insistence on using an unchanged formation no matter what. “They still don’t win the first ball or second ball. Embarrassing.” This critique extends beyond Neville, with fans also asking similar questions of Amorim. In a new interview, the Portuguese manager addressed such concerns. Amorim’s response Speaking to DAZN Portugal, Amorim defended his formation when answering questions directly posed by supporters. One fan asked Amorim whether he plans to reintroduce the “mobile attack” he implemented during his Sporting CP days, to which he responded that the team already tried this in their surprise 2-1 victory over Liverpool at Anfield. This modern system makes use of a rotating attack with no fixed striker up front. It didn’t take long for him to shift the conversation to his famous 3-4-2-1 formation, whereby he defended its usage against critics. “We can say it’s a ‘four-four-two’, but five minutes later it’s a ‘four-three-three’ or a ‘three-four-three,’” Amorim explained, indicating that the formation can be adapted to the match conditions. “I’m open to everything. People think I’m fixated on one idea, but I simply start from a base,” he continued. Clearly, he feels that critics are being narrow-minded and not fully understanding what he is trying to do at Old Trafford. While United were enjoying a five-game undefeated streak under Amorim, they’ll surely be reeling from this latest defeat that made them appear to go backwards. With a favourable run of fixtures ahead, including the likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham United, and Wolves, United will be hoping to return to winning ways over the next few weeks in order to fight for a European spot in the Premier League table. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Mathew Cohen A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.