Manchester United legend Gary Pallister insists “good players can play in any system” amid doubts over Ruben Amorim sticking firmly to his failing philosophy at Old Trafford.
United were expected to improve under Amorim after the Portuguese boss replaced Erik ten Hag in November, but they remain 14th in the Premier League and have just the Europa League remaining as potential silverware having been dumped out of the FA Cup on Sunday.
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Questions have been raised over Amorim’s insistence on sticking with his philosophy and 3-4-3 system amid the players’ struggles and Pallister reckons the head coach would consider switching to a back four if his side was in genuine danger of being relegated.
Pallister told GOAL: “If we were in real danger of being in a relegation battle, I would be surprised if he didn’t change it. You would have to go back to the four and the way the players have played most of their career at Manchester United. I think he knows we’re not going to get involved in a relegation battle. We’re 15 points clear of that.
“Fortunately he has got the leeway to stick with it. I would be concerned if he didn’t and we were in a relegation battle, I would be asking him to change it, but he wants to stick by his philosophies, by his guns – this is what has brought him success and what he believes can bring him success at Manchester United.
“It’s getting the players to believe and adapt, and get the players in that can play the system he wants to. I’ve got no issues with it at the moment. You have to look a couple of months into next season, by the time he has got a pre-season with the team, bring in the players he wants, the ones he’s going to keep believing in the system, and that’s when we will probably start to judge Ruben Amorim.”
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Pressed further on whether United have the options at present to play with three central defenders, Pallister claimed the absence of Lisandro Martinez due to an injury is causing problems, but also insists “good players can play in any system”.
He added: “[Lisandro] Martinez would probably give you balance in a three. He was coming back into some decent form before his injury – that’s been a problem. I think [Matthijs] de Ligt and [Harry] Maguire would prefer to play in the middle of the three, where it’s a little bit easier and you don’t get exposed to the width.
“Maybe he needs a centre-back with a little bit more pace that can play right centre-back – or [Leny] Yoro could fit in there because he’s got the pace.
“I believe good players can play in any system. Football is about contests between two players – the player you are up against and you win your battles. If you don’t win your battle, your team is going to struggle in that area of the pitch. I think they should all be able to adapt to play in a back five, personally.”
